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key while clicking on your selections. Shadows - If you want to use shadows, you must enable Shadows and Atmosphere Shadows in the appropriate lights and also turn on Cast Shadows and/or Receive Shadows in the Rendering tab > Shader rollout. FumeFX shadow casting can also be disabled through Object Properties > General > Rendering Control > Cast Shadows checkbox. NOTE: A few notes about FumeFX and Shadows: Shadow is dependent on the shader. Shadows are traced through FumeFX volume along the light ray using the selected step size. And, Area Shadows do NOT work with FumeFX.

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Reference Step Size - This value is a percentage of voxel size. 75% is good for most uses; for transparent smoke you may use up to 300%. Less than 25% should never be needed, except when attempting an effective use of Jittering. Jittering - This value is a percentage of voxel size. It can help to reduce possible artifacts and/or soften shadows. Transparency for a volume of smoke is not taken precisely along the ray that is being traced, but rather, with a random offset whose maximum is set by this parameter. It has to be combined with small Step Size (5% - 50%) to be effective.

Illumination Map Group of Controls

To accelerate rendering, FumeFX uses an illumination map, which is a per-voxel, pre-computed light map that includes shadows. It is created at rendering time, before any actual rendering takes place. A progress window will pop up if creation takes longer than a second. Caching of illumination maps to disk is an option that will accelerate subsequent renderings. Cache files are named just like simulation output files, but with the extension .fim. You invalidate a cache by deleting it or starting the simulation again. In the latter case, only the frames that have been simulated will be invalidated. Illumination Map - If you turn this checkbox off, the rendering process will be much slower. It is provided for the rare cases in which you need extreme accuracy of the shadows received by FumeFX. It does not influence shadows cast by FumeFX on other objects. Multiplier - This is a convenient way to affect all lights at once. A value of 0 creates no illumination, 2 creates twice the illumination, etc. Once the illumination map has been calculated and cached to a disk, you can tweak its intensity through this parameter without having to recalculate. Undersample/Threshold - To speed up the illumination map calculation, you can instruct FumeFX to evaluate every 2nd voxel over each axis. This means it would only have to process 1/8 of the total number of voxels. Other voxels will only be evaluated if the difference in neighboring voxels’ illumination is greater than the Threshold parameter value. This will not reduce the illumination map file size and will have no effect if the illumination map is loaded from disk. So long as you do not notice rendering artifacts, you can set this value as high as you like. Cache Map To Disk - During rendering, the illumination map is saved to disk as illumination is pre-computed for each frame. The saved map is unaffected by the Multiplier parameter. While this option is selected, the map cache is automatically used for subsequent renderings, regardless of any changes to light settings. The only exception to this is that the cache map will not be used if the grid dimensions have been changed. This data will be saved to the folder you have selected for output and will overwrite any existing file of the same name. The Illumination Map filename is a combination of an output filename and name of the FumeFX scene object. Note that if you rename FumeFX object, cache will become unusable.

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Printed Documentation Clear Cache - Select this to delete all cache files with names corresponding to current output file names.

Multiple Scattering Group of Controls

Multiple scattering is a fast imitation of light dispersion in smoke. Select to enable/disable. In FumeFX, light that affects fire and smoke can come from two different sources: external lights, or fire itself. These two sources have separate strength multipliers and a common falloff multiplier, which controls how much light is dispersed to surrounding smoke and fuel. It is usually calculated much faster than an illumination map and cannot be cached. Maximum Depth - This parameter sets the level of simplification for fire as an illumination source. The higher the maximum depth parameter is, the faster is will be computed. Decrease this value if you need more accuracy – for example, if you notice sudden illumination changes in some areas. Fire Strength - This sets Fire illumination strength. Smoke Strength - This sets Smoke illumination strength. Falloff - This value sets the rate for Falloff of the scattered light through the medium. Use smaller numbers to evenly illuminate smoke. NOTE: Values for this parameter are not normalized; they can be very big or small numbers, depending on shader settings, simulation and scene size. You will have to experiment a little bit to balance falloff with overall light. Decreasing falloff substantially will also increase the total amount of light in the smoke, so you may sometimes need to decrease strength.

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Objects, Sources and Warps Objects, Sources and Warps Objects, Sources, and Warps can all affect FumeFX simulations. You can access controls for all three by clicking the Obj/Src. tab in the FumeFX Floater Window. Any geometry that can be converted to mesh can be used as an object that affects FumeFX fluid. To do this, the geometry has to be picked so that its speed multiplier and volume type can be set. Then, any movement it makes through the fluid will displace the fluid. Note that there is no way that the fluid can affect the object (unless you script the object’s behavior). If the object moves too fast, the simulation may become inaccurate. It may even “eat” any smoke and fire that are on its path. These problems will be more pronounced if you have set the number of solver steps too low. To ease these problems, you can increase the number of Simulation Steps in Simulation tab. Or, if the object is just consuming smoke, you can increase the object’s Speed Multiplier, which will increase the force of its push on the fluid. Sources are explained in the section FumeFX Sources of this manual.

Objects Rollout

Pick and Remove - Use these buttons to add any of the following: Objects (any geometry that can be converted to a mesh); Sources (Simple Source, Particle Source, or Object Source); or, Forces (forces that can influence Particle Systems, such as Wind or Vortex. Others like Bomb 53

Printed Documentation and Path Follow cannot be used with FumeFX. Once selected, each is shown in the dialog with a descriptive letter to indicate if it is a Source (S), an Object (O), or a Force (W - for Warp). To remove any of the entries, simply highlight it and hit the remove icon. When you select a node within this dialog, you will be presented with an additional rollout to work with depending on the type of node you've chosen. Below is a list of the various types of rollouts you can get when adding Objects and Sources to your simulation.

Standard Object (geometry) - Object Parameters Rollout FumeFX Simple Source - Simple Source Parameters rollout FumeFX Object Source - Object Source Parameters rollout FumeFX Particle Source - Particle Source Parameters rollout Force (Gravity, Wind, Vortex, etc.) - No additional rollout FumeFX Gravity Vector - No additional rollout NOTE: It is important to mention that the parameter controls within each of these rollouts within the FumeFX UI are identical to their gizmo counterparts. Therefore, if you select a FumeFX Source within the 3ds Max interface and go to the Modify , you will see the exact same controls in there as well, just in a different layout.

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Object Parameters Rollout This is a very simple dialog and is presented when the chooses a standard piece of geometry to be used within the FumeFX simulation. In most cases, these nodes are to be used as collision objects that will block and otherwise interact with the FumeFX simulation.

Object Parameters Rollout Shell - The object has a hollow interior. Solid - The object has a filled interior. Free Flow - The object has no substance; only the Velocity Channel next to its shell will be affected. SpeedMul - The Speed Multiplier value changes the speed of an object that is used in computations. Increase this value if you want the object to push the fluid more forcefully, or decrease if you want the object to have less impact on fluid movement.

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Printed Documentation

Simple Source Parameters Rollout This is the basic source type, which assumes a predefined geometric shape (box, cylinder or sphere). In many cases, if you just want to create simple collision objects, it is easier to build Simple Sources into your scene rather than create real geometry and create Object Sources. To create a Simple Source, go to the Create Command , and from the Helpers menu, select FumeFX -> Simple Src. Then click and drag in any 3ds Max viewport to create this Source. When done, you will be presented with a number of options. Once chosen in the FumeFX UI, the following rollout will appear. As mentioned before, it is available in both the Create/Modify Command (by selecting the Simple Source gizmo), as well as here within the FumeFX UI floating dialog.

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Simple Source Parameters Rollout Active: You can turn this source on/off using this checkbox. You can also animate this checkbox.

Source Group of Controls

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Shape - Here, choose between three basic geometries: Sphere, Cube, or Cylinder. Type - The type chosen affects how the source volume is treated: Volume fills the entire volume of the source. Shell fills only the surface of the source. Solid fills only the surface of the source; the interior is interpreted as a solid object, so nothing can through it. Free Flow checkbox - If you check this, source parameters will still influence channel values, but the source, itself, will behave just like fluid. As a result, the source’s velocity will not interrupt fluid movement in any way. Dimension Parameters - Depending on selected Shape, you can set dimensions, such as Radius, or Width, Length, and Height.

Fuel, Temperature and Smoke Groups of Controls

Each of these groups has same set of parameters. These parameters work as a kind of mixing board, allowing you to balance and adjust the basic way in which different channels will affect your FumeFX simulation. Type - Click the Set button to choose the type of affect that the source will have on that channel. When you click on it, you will get the following pop-up menu:

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Channel is Disabled - The source won’t change that channel. Add Values to the Voxel - The source adds values to voxel. Set Values in the Voxel - The source sets value to the voxel. Amount - This is the amount that is set or added to each voxel. Source controller - This button has a dash on it and resides next to the Amount Spinner. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers. Map - With this option, you can use a procedural 3D texture map as a mask for the value that is set. Click to the button to enable/disable, or to choose Source from Red Channel, Source from Blue Channel, Source from Green Channel, or Source from Intensity.

Velocity Group of Controls

Velocity parameters cannot have negative values. All parameters can use source controllers as a mask for the value that is set. To do this, right-click the Controller icon (square button with a minus sign), located next to each spinner. Refer to Source Controller section of this manual for more information. Object’s - The selected value acts as a multiplier of the object’s movement. Directional - This defines velocity along the source’s Z-axis (the direction that the source icon’s arrow points to). Radial - This defines velocity in all directions. Source controller - The buttons to the right of each spinner define the optional Source Controllers for the Velocity parameters. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers.

Turbulence Group of Controls

Use these parameters to add irregularities to all of the source’s added values.

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Printed Documentation Amount - This sets the overall amount of irregularities on a scale from 0-1. Scale - This value defines noise scale. A good initial value would be in the range of source dimensions. So, if source size is 10, then Scale should be in the range of 1 to 10. Frames - This value sets the rate of change, expressed as a number of frames for one turbulence cycle.

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Object Source Parameters Rollout The FumeFX Object Source lets the build any geometry within their scene to be used as a component within their FumeFX simulation. In many cases, the objects selected within the Object Source gizmo are going to be the ignition source of the fire and smoke. Other times, they will be used to affect other fuel sources within the simulation. NOTE: Be aware that this source type only works with geometry. You cannot select particle systems with this source type, nor can you choose forces, other helpers or non-geometry types. NURBS, Patches and Polys are all acceptable. Once chosen in the FumeFX UI, the following rollout will appear. As mentioned before, it is available in both the Create/Modify Command (by selecting the Object Source gizmo), as well as here within the FumeFX UI floating dialog.

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Object Source Parameters Rollout Active - You can turn this source on/off using this checkbox. You can also animate this checkbox. Pick / Remove - When you create a FumeFX Object Source, the first thing you want to do is select the geometry that will become part of the simulation. Click on the Pick icon to choose an object. This basically links the geometry to the source icon, which will provide all of the parameters for the simulation. NOTE: If you have objects that are grouped together in 3ds Max, when you use the Pick button it will select only one sub-component object from the group. It cannot operate on 62

Reference multiple objects at once, so if you want multiple objects in the FuemFX simulation, you'll need to create Object Sources for each object.

Parameters Group of Controls Free Flow - If you check this, source parameters will still influence channel values, but the source, itself, will behave just like fluid. As a result, the source’s velocity will not interrupt fluid movement in any way. Icon Size - Use this to modify the size of the icon – the object source’s symbolic representation in the viewport. Map Channel - For textures used as masks, map channel can be selected.


Each of these channels has same set of parameters. These parameters work as a kind of mixing board, allowing you to balance and adjust the basic way in which different channels will affect your FumeFX simulation. Type - Click the Set button to choose the type of affect that the source will have on that channel. When you click on it, you will get the following pop-up menu:

Channel is Disabled - The source won’t change that channel. Add Values to the Voxel - The source adds values to voxel (v + value = amount). Set Values in the Voxel - The source sets the voxel at a value (v = amount). Amount - This is the amount that is set or added to each voxel. Source controller - This button has a dash on it and resides next to the Amount Spinner. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers. 63


Map - With this option, you can use a procedural 3D texture map as a mask for the value that is set. Click the Disabled button to enable/disable, or to choose Source from Red Channel, Source from Blue Channel, Source from Green Channel, or Source from Intensity as shown below. Once active, the map slot below this button will become active and ready for the to select the map.


Object’s - Use the spinner to select a multiplier value for the object’s movement. Extra - This value defines velocity in the direction of the object’s normals. NOTE: Velocity parameters cannot have negative values. Map - With this option, you can use a procedural 3D texture map as a mask for the value that is set. Click the Disabled button to enable/disable, or to choose Source from Red Channel, Source from Blue Channel, Source from Green Channel, or Source from Intensity as shown below. Once active, the map slot below this button will become active and ready for the to select the map.

Source controller - To the right of the Velocity spinners is a button with a dash on it. This is where you can access the Source Controller options for the velocity parameters. In this way, you can mask the values that are set. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers.

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Use these parameters to add irregularities to all source added values. Amount - This sets the overall amount of irregularities on a scale from 0-1. Scale - This value defines noise scale. Frames - This value sets the speed of change per amount of Frames.

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Particle Source Parameters Rollout The FumeFX Particle Source lets the create any particle system within their scene to be used as a component within their FumeFX simulation. To create a Particle Source, go to the Create Command , and from the Helpers menu, select FumeFX -> Particle Src. Then click and drag in any 3ds Max viewport to create this Source. When done, you will be presented with a number of options, including which particle system to use as part of the FumeFX simulation. Additionally, AFC controllers make it possible to adjust particle parameters based on particle age. NOTE: Be aware that this source type only works with particle systems. You cannot select geometry with this source type, nor can you choose forces, other helpers or non-geometry types. All of the built-in particle systems as well as cebas' ThinkingParticles 2 are all acceptable systems that work with FumeFX. Once chosen in the FumeFX UI, the following rollout will appear. As mentioned before, it is available in both the Create/Modify Command (by selecting the Particle Source gizmo), as well as here within the FumeFX UI floating dialog.

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Particle Source Parameters Rollout Active - You can turn this source on/off using this checkbox. NOTE: You can also animate this checkbox. Pick / Remove - Choose one or more particle systems that you want to use as sources within your FumeFX simulation by clicking on the Pick icon. To remove a particle system from the list, simply highlight it and hit the Remove icon.

Parameters Group of Controls

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Icon Size - Use this to modify the size of the icon – the source’s symbolic representation in the viewport. Seed - This value affects the amount of randomization.

Radius Group of Controls

Radius - This defines the particle radius used within the FumeFX simulation. Be aware that this value can be animated over time through the use of the AFC (Animation Flow Curve) Controller. This control not only lets you set a start and end particle radius for use within the simulation, but you can determine how the animation progresses within the AFC dialog. AFC Controller - When active, usse this to control the progression between the two Radius spinner values in proportion with particle age. Refer to the AFC and Gradient Control section of this guide for more information on how to use AFC controls. Var. % - This establishes maximum variation allowed for each particle's radius within the simulation.

Velocity Multiplier Group of Controls

Amount - The selected value acts as a multiplier of the particles' movement. Be aware that this value can be animated over time through the use of the AFC (Animation Flow Curve) Controller. This control not only lets you set a start and end particle velocity multiplier for use within the simulation, but you can determine how the animation progresses within the AFC dialog. AFC Controller - When active, use this to control the progression between the two Amount spinner values in proportion with particle age. Refer to the AFC and Gradient Control section of this guide for more information on how to use AFC controls. Source controller - Use this source controller to create a mask that affects the velocity multiplier for your particles' effect within the FumeFX simulation. This button has a dash on it and resides beneath the Amount Spinner. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers. Var % - This establishes maximum variation limits for velocity. 68

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Each of these channels has same set of parameters. These parameters work as a kind of mixing board, allowing you to set the values of the Fuel, Smoke and Temperature Channels in your source. One notable feature of Particle Sources is that you can use an AFC (Animated Flow Curve) as a mask. For each AFC, the X-axis represents a progression of particle age, while the Yaxis represents the amount of masking that is taking place. Type - Click the Add button to choose the type of affect that the source will have on that channel. When you click on it, you will get the following pop-up menu:

Channel is Disabled - The source won’t change that channel. Add Values to the Voxel - The source adds values to voxel (v + value = amount). Set Values in the Voxel - The source sets the voxel at a value (v = amount). Amount - This is the amount that is set or added to each voxel. Be aware that this value can be animated over time through the use of the AFC (Animation Flow Curve) Controller. This control not only lets you set a start and end particle velocity multiplier for use within the simulation, but you can determine how the animation progresses within the AFC dialog. AFC Controller - Use this to control the channel’s progression in proportion with particle age. Refer to the AFC and Gradient Control section of this reference for more information. Source controller - Use this source controller to create masks that affects the various aspects of your particles' effect within the FumeFX simulation. This button has a dash on it and resides beneath the Amount Spinner. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers.

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FumeFX Sources

Source Basics Smoke and fire effects have to be created somehow and come from somewhere. This is where FumeFX Sources come into play. A source is a helper object that serves as a point of origin. This is where your simulation and all of its essential characteristics stem from. To create a FumeFX Source, go to the 3ds Max Create tab > Helpers category and select FumeFX from the drop-down list. An Object Type Rollout will appear, prompting you to choose from Simple Src, Object Src, Particle Src or GravityVector (each source type is explained further in the following sections). Select the type of source you want and then click in a viewport to create the source. Each source appears in your scene as an icon, which you can move, re-name, or re-size. Depending on the Source type, the icon can function as the actual source, or be linked to a particle system or object that will act as the source.

Sources have equivalent interfaces in both the 3ds Max Create and the FumeFX UI floating dialog. Within the 3ds Max Create and Modify Command s, you can adjust the source’s parameters in order to control the basic output of the Fire, Smoke, Temperature or Velocity Channels. Any item that you have chosen to use as a source will take on these parameters. Sources operate on a per-voxel basis; so, every voxel that the source touches is defined by the parameters of the source. Source parameters can also be set to negative values. Negative values will not propagate through the grid like normal smoke or fire; they can only take effect in the volume that the source itself occupies. Negative values in the Fuel Channel will extinguish fuel or fire, whichever is in the affected voxel. IMPORTANT: Be aware that the FumeFX simulation treats the source differently than the fluid surrounding it. This may not always be what you want. For example, if you want the source to add smoke into the system, but not to affect the fluid velocity in any way, you must check the Free Flow option so that it simply creates smoke without affecting the other aspects of your simulation.

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FumeFX Particle Sources

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FumeFX Simple Source This is the basic source type, which assumes a predefined geometric shape (box, cylinder or sphere). In many cases, if you just want to create simple collision objects, it is easier to build Simple Sources into your scene rather than create real geometry and create Object Sources. To create a Simple Source, go to the Create Command , and from the Helpers menu, select FumeFX -> Simple Src. Then click and drag in any 3ds Max viewport to create this Source. When done, you will be presented with a number of options.

Parameters Rollout

This rollout contains the basic parameters for your source. As mentioned before, it is available in both the Create/Modify Command (by selecting the Simple Source), as well as within the FumeFX UI floating dialog. Active - You can turn this source on/off using this checkbox. You can also animate this checkbox.

Source Group of Controls 72

Reference Shape - Here, choose between three basic geometries: Sphere, Cube, or Cylinder. Type - The type chosen affects how the source volume is treated: Volume fills the entire volume of the source. Shell fills only the surface of the source. Solid fills only the surface of the source; the interior is interpreted as a solid object, so nothing can through it. Free Flow checkbox - If you check this, source parameters will still influence channel values, but the source, itself, will behave just like fluid. As a result, the source’s velocity will not interrupt fluid movement in any way. Dimension Parameters - Depending on selected Shape, you can set dimensions, such as Radius, or Width, Length, and Height.


Each of these groups has same set of parameters. These parameters work as a kind of mixing board, allowing you to balance and adjust the basic way in which different channels will affect your FumeFX simulation. Type - Click the Set button to choose the type of affect that the source will have on that channel. When you click on it, you will get the following pop-up menu:

Channel is Disabled - The source won’t change that channel. Add Values to the Voxel - The source adds values to voxel. Set Values in the Voxel - The source sets value to the voxel.

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Printed Documentation Amount - This is the amount that is set or added to each voxel. Source controller - This button has a dash on it and resides next to the Amount Spinner. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers. Map - With this option, you can use a procedural 3D texture map as a mask for the value that is set. Click to the button to enable/disable, or to choose Source from Red Channel, Source from Blue Channel, Source from Green Channel, or Source from Intensity.


Use these parameters to add irregularities to all of the source’s added values. Amount - This sets the overall amount of irregularities on a scale from 0-1. Scale - This value defines noise scale. A good initial value would be in the range of source dimensions. So, if source size is 10, then Scale should be in the range of 1 to 10. Frames - This value sets the rate of change, expressed as a number of frames for one turbulence cycle.


Velocity parameters cannot have negative values. All parameters can use source controllers as a mask for the value that is set. To do this, right-click the Controller icon (square button with a minus sign), located next to each spinner. Refer to Source Controller section of this manual for more information. Object’s - The selected value acts as a multiplier of the object’s movement. Directional - This defines velocity along the source’s Z-axis (the direction that the source icon’s arrow points to). Radial - This defines velocity in all directions. Source controller - To the right of the Velocity spinners is a button with a dash on it. This is where you can access the Source Controller options for the velocity parameters. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers.

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FumeFX Object Source The FumeFX Object Source lets the build any geometry within their scene to be used as a component within their FumeFX simulation. In many cases, the objects selected within the Object Source gizmo are going to be the ignition source of the fire and smoke. Other times, they will be used to affect other fuel sources within the simulation. To create an Object Source, go to the Create Command , and from the Helpers menu, select FumeFX -> Object Src. Then click and drag in any 3ds Max viewport to create this Source. When done, you will be presented with a number of options, including which geometric object to use as part of the FumeFX simulation. NOTE: Be aware that this source type only works with geometry. You cannot select particle systems with this source type, nor can you choose forces, other helpers or non-geometry types. NURBS, Patches and Polys are all acceptable.

Parameters Rollout

This rollout contains the basic parameters for your object source. As mentioned before, all of its controls are available in both the Create/Modify Command (by selecting the Object Source gizmo), as well as within the FumeFX UI floating dialog.

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Active - You can turn this source on/off using this checkbox. You can also animate this checkbox. Pick / Remove - When you create a FumeFX Object Source, the first thing you want to do is select the geometry that will become part of the simulation. Click on the Pick icon to choose an object. This basically links the geometry to the source icon, which will provide all of the parameters for the simulation. NOTE: If you have objects that are grouped together in 3ds Max, when you use the Pick button it will select only one sub-component object from the group. It cannot operate on multiple objects at once, so if you want multiple objects in the FuemFX simulation, you'll need to create Object Sources for each object.


Free Flow - If you check this, source parameters will still influence channel values, but the source, itself, will behave just like fluid. As a result, the source’s velocity will not interrupt fluid movement in any way. Icon Size - Use this to modify the size of the icon – the object source’s symbolic representation in the viewport. Map Channel - For textures used as masks, map channel can be selected.


Each of these channels has same set of parameters. These parameters work as a kind of mixing board, allowing you to balance and adjust the basic way in which different channels will affect your FumeFX simulation.

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Printed Documentation Type - Click the Set button to choose the type of affect that the source will have on that channel. When you click on it, you will get the following pop-up menu:

Channel is Disabled - The source won’t change that channel. Add Values to the Voxel - The source adds values to voxel (v + value = amount). Set Values in the Voxel - The source sets the voxel at a value (v = amount). Amount - This is the amount that is set or added to each voxel. Source controller - This button has a dash on it and resides next to the Amount Spinner. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers. Map - With this option, you can use a procedural 3D texture map as a mask for the value that is set. Click the Disabled button to enable/disable, or to choose Source from Red Channel, Source from Blue Channel, Source from Green Channel, or Source from Intensity as shown below. Once active, the map slot below this button will become active and ready for the to select the map.


Object’s - Use the spinner to select a multiplier value for the object’s movement. Extra - This value defines velocity in the direction of the object’s normals. NOTE: Velocity parameters cannot have negative values.

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Reference Map - With this option, you can use a procedural 3D texture map as a mask for the value that is set. Click the Disabled button to enable/disable, or to choose Source from Red Channel, Source from Blue Channel, Source from Green Channel, or Source from Intensity as shown below. Once active, the map slot below this button will become active and ready for the to select the map.

Source controller - To the right of the Velocity spinners is a button with a dash on it. This is where you can access the Source Controller options for the velocity parameters. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers.


Use these parameters to add irregularities to all source added values. Amount - This sets the overall amount of irregularities on a scale from 0-1. Scale - This value defines noise scale. Frames - This value sets the speed of change per amount of Frames.

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FumeFX Particle Source The FumeFX Particle Source lets the create any particle system within their scene to be used as a component within their FumeFX simulation. To create a Particle Source, go to the Create Command , and from the Helpers menu, select FumeFX -> Particle Src. Then click and drag in any 3ds Max viewport to create this Source. When done, you will be presented with a number of options, including which particle system to use as part of the FumeFX simulation. Additionally, AFC controllers make it possible to adjust particle parameters based on particle age. NOTE: Be aware that this source type only works with particle systems. You cannot select geometry with this source type, nor can you choose forces, other helpers or non-geometry types. All of the built-in particle systems as well as cebas' ThinkingParticles 2 are all acceptable systems that work with FumeFX.

Parameters Rollout

This rollout contains the basic parameters for your particle source. As mentioned before, all of its controls are available in both the Create/Modify Command (by selecting the Particle Source gizmo), as well as within the FumeFX UI floating dialog.

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Reference Active - You can turn this source on/off using this checkbox. NOTE: You can also animate this checkbox. Pick / Remove - Choose one or more particle systems that you want to use as sources within your FumeFX simulation by clicking on the Pick icon. To remove a particle system from the list, simply highlight it and hit the Remove icon.


Icon Size - Use this to modify the size of the icon – the source’s symbolic representation in the viewport. Seed - This value affects the amount of randomization.

Radius Group of Controls

Radius - This defines the particle radius used within the FumeFX simulation. Be aware that this value can be animated over time through the use of the AFC (Animation Flow Curve) Controller. This control not only lets you set a start and end particle radius for use within the simulation, but you can determine how the animation progresses within the AFC dialog. AFC Controller - When active, usse this to control the progression between the two Radius spinner values in proportion with particle age. Refer to the AFC and Gradient Control section of this guide for more information on how to use AFC controls. Var. % - This establishes maximum variation allowed for each particle's radius within the simulation.

Velocity Multiplier Group of Controls

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Printed Documentation Amount - The selected value acts as a multiplier of the particles' movement. Be aware that this value can be animated over time through the use of the AFC (Animation Flow Curve) Controller. This control not only lets you set a start and end particle velocity multiplier for use within the simulation, but you can determine how the animation progresses within the AFC dialog. AFC Controller - When active, use this to control the progression between the two Amount spinner values in proportion with particle age. Refer to the AFC and Gradient Control section of this guide for more information on how to use AFC controls. Source controller - Use this source controller to create a mask that affects the velocity multiplier for your particles' effect within the FumeFX simulation. This button has a dash on it and resides beneath the Amount Spinner. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers. Var % - This establishes maximum variation limits for velocity.


Each of these channels has same set of parameters. These parameters work as a kind of mixing board, allowing you to set the values of the Fuel, Smoke and Temperature Channels in your source. One notable feature of Particle Sources is that you can use an AFC (Animated Flow Curve) as a mask. For each AFC, the X-axis represents a progression of particle age, while the Yaxis represents the amount of masking that is taking place. Type - Click the Add button to choose the type of affect that the source will have on that channel. When you click on it, you will get the following pop-up menu:

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Channel is Disabled - The source won’t change that channel. Add Values to the Voxel - The source adds values to voxel (v + value = amount). Set Values in the Voxel - The source sets the voxel at a value (v = amount). Amount - This is the amount that is set or added to each voxel. Be aware that this value can be animated over time through the use of the AFC (Animation Flow Curve) Controller. This control not only lets you set a start and end particle velocity multiplier for use within the simulation, but you can determine how the animation progresses within the AFC dialog. AFC Controller - Use this to control the channel’s progression in proportion with particle age. Refer to the AFC and Gradient Control section of this reference for more information. Source controller - Use this source controller to create masks that affects the various aspects of your particles' effect within the FumeFX simulation. This button has a dash on it and resides beneath the Amount Spinner. Go HERE to learn more about Source Controllers.

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FumeFX Source Controllers Source Controllers give you more control over the values that a source in your simulation will apply to each voxel. The different types of controllers help you to quickly establish a source’s linear dependence on various channels in the grid (smoke, fuel or temperature) or the distance from an object.

To use this feature, right-click the source controller icon (the square button marked with a minus sign); a menu will appear prompting you to enable/disable or choose a type of controller. You can select Voxel Fuel, Voxel Temperature, Voxel Smoke, Object Distance, or Expression. From here, you can also Copy and Paste parameters from one controller to another. Right-click the button to select the channel parameters for the selected choice.

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Once selected, the button will display a letter corresponding to the choice made: F = Voxel Fuel T = Voxel Temperature S = Voxel Smoke D = Object Distance X = Expression Addtionally, once a selection is made, you can then left-click on the button and it will bring up a dialog similar to the one shown below.

For the Voxel Channel choices, you can select Minimum Influence and Maximum Influence values. Let’s say, for example that you assign a Voxel Smoke type source controller to the Fuel channel and then set the Min/Max values to 1/10. This means that, in voxels whose smoke value is less than 1, no fuel will be emitted. And conversely, in voxels whose smoke value is greater than 10, fuel will be fully emitted. For smoke values in between, linear interpolation will be used. If you use the Expression controller, Max expressions can be evaluated on a per-voxel basis.

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FumeFX Output Preview Window

Preview Window FumeFX’s Output Preview Window is an incredibly helpful and timesaving part of the interface. It is an interactive window that displays a high quality draft of your simulation results; this means that you can gauge the affect of your adjustments without having to repeatedly stop and render. Key features of the Preview Window are its scalable dimensions, interactive auto-refresh, and channel display. You can open the Preview Window at any time from the Preview icons in either the FumeFX UI floating dialog, the Modify (with the FumeFX Grid selected) or Status window (shown below).. Once opened, you can position the window anywhere on the screen, and scale its size by clicking and dragging on any corner.

When you begin any simulation preview, a secondary window, the FumeFX Dynamics Status Window, will open, as shown below.

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This window displays current statistics, such as RAM usage, estimated time to completion, and frame-by-frame simulation information. You can use the control buttons on this window to Stop, or Pause and Resume a simulation as well as launch the Preview Window from any point during the simulation. This window will automatically close when you stop the simulation unless you select the Hold open checkbox. If you press Cancel, no data will be saved and you will not be able to continue simulation from that point. NOTE: If you open the Preview Window during simulation you may have to wait until the current frame is calculated for the window to refresh.

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Gravity Vectors

Gravity Vectors Gravity Vectors are FumeFX helper objects, but function differently than previously mentioned Sources. You can attach one of these helpers to FumeFX grid in order to direct gravitational (and buoyant) forces in a direction other then global Z-axis. There are no parameters for this helper; it simply takes effect if, when and where it is attached.

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FumeFX Particle Flow Operators

FumeFX Particle Flow Operators One of the many options that you have with FumeFX is that you can use a Particle System as the source of your simulations (as explained in the FumeFX Particle Source section of this reference). Particle Flow operators offer a way to control any such particle system over the course of its life. Although Particle Flow is an element of 3ds Max, FumeFX comes with operators that allow you to employ several of its features. These operators are: FumeFX Birth, FumeFX Follow, and FumeFX Test. It is highly recommended that you use the Cache operator that comes with Particle Flow; this will help you to avoid any delays caused when PF has to re-compute the particle positions. For example, if you move the time slider one frame backwards without using the Cache operator, PF would have to update the particles starting from the Birth Event’s start time. Furthermore, FumeFX would have to load its output for each frame, as well. FumeFX can immediately affect Particle Flow during simulation, which allows you to track progress in viewport. The most significant feature is that, through the use of Particle Sources, FumeFX and Particle Flow can dynamically affect each other during simulation! After the simulation is complete, particles can be cached to produce the same behavior as they did during FumeFX simulation. The majority of your Particle Flow options are located in the Preview Window. In order to access this, you first need to create a Particle System. Then, while the Particle emitter icon is selected, click on the Particle View button that appears in the 3ds Max control . In the Depot pane of this window, select FumeFX to access the appropriate controls.

FumeFX Test

This operator selects particles that match one or all of the conditions that you have set on a perchannel basis. These conditions refer to the fluid properties of a selected FumeFX object at a given particle position. To use this: select the channels that you want to test; set the span of values that will be considered a match for that channel (or invert if you want to select values outside of that span); and, relax the test area with the Variation parameter. Then, choose whether you would like all or just a certain condition(s) to be met. As with many Particle Flow operators and tests, you can choose to interpret parameter keying in 3ds Max time, particle age, or event duration.

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FumeFX Test Rollout

Pick / Remove - Use the Pick and Remove buttons to select a single FumeFX object. Sync By: - Select which type of age to test against. Absolute Age - This tests the current frame number in the animation. Particle Age - This is the default test type. It tests the current age of each particle in frames. Event Age - This tests the duration of the current event in frames.

Channels Group of Controls

The Test True If: option is helpful if you want to test the properties of more than one channel. With this, you can choose whether you want all channel conditions to be met or if just one condition will suffice. Each of the following channels can be tested: Smoke, Temperature, Fuel, Fire, Vorticity, Velocity and Flags, and they all share a number of common parameters for all of them. First, selecting the checkbox next each channel name turns the test of that particular channel on or off. Minimum and Maximum - For all channels except Flags, you can set limits to the span of values that will be considered valid. Variation - Using this parameter, you can relax the boundaries of the test result area. It is defined as a percent of the selected Min and Max values. Invert checkbox - You can also Invert this test so that the values outside of the Min/Max limits will be considered valid.

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The Velocity group has an additional option that lets you select which particular component of velocity will be tested. Select from the dropdown list. Planes and axes are local to the FumeFX object. Units are defined as world units per frame. Also, you cannot differentiate the positive or negative direction. If you select Velocity X, Y or Z, the test will only check the velocity component that is situated across the selected axis. If you select Velocity XY, YZ or XZ, the test will apply to the velocity component across the selected plane. If you select Velocity Magnitude, the overall velocity will be tested.

Vorticity Defined

Vorticity is a virtual channel, dependent on the Velocity channel – similar to the way in which Fire is stored in the Fuel channel. Vorticity is calculated from the velocities of nearby voxels. Accordingly, this test will have no effect if the FumeFX output doesn't contain the Velocity channel. Vorticity refers to the small vortices, or curls in the fluid. So, with PF, you can test for particles in areas where smoke is curled. The amounts for the Vorticity channel depend on the velocities in the grid and the type of scene units; so the Min. and Max. values that you choose are highly dependent on the specifics of your scene/simulation. Experiment to find appropriate values.

Flags Defined

The Flags channel is used to mark the presence of objects or sources in the fluid. This is not a test of all current scene objects and FumeFX Sources; rather, it only tests for objects that were used during FumeFX simulation. Even if these objects and sources have been deleted or moved or removed, their information remains stored in the Flags channel. You can use this channel to test for the following: Source - This tests whether a FumeFX Source occupies a certain voxel. Object - This tests whether an object occupies a certain voxel. Next to Object - This tests whether a neighboring voxel is occupied by an object.

FumeFX Birth Operator

FumeFX Birth is derived from a FumeFX PF Fluid Test. This operator enables you to create particles in only those areas of the fluid that you have selected through per-channel conditions.

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Creation Group of Controls

Emit Start and Emit Stop - Select frame numbers to schedule the action of your particles. Rate - This determines how many particles per second will be created. By Volume checkbox - If selected, the amount of particles created will depend on the size of the area where they can appear in proportion to the entire FumeFX Object volume. So, if you set this value to 1% of the Birth Rate parameter, then particles will only appear in 1% of the total volume. If it seems that a disproportionately small number of particles are being created, you probably need to increase the birth rate. Jitter % - Use bigger values to relax test results area. For example, if this is set to 0, particles will appear only in center of each affected voxel. Conversely, if you raise this to 50%, particles will appear randomly within a voxel.

Inherit From FumeFX Group of Controls

Created particles inherit their initial speed and orientation from the FumeFX fluid. You can tweak those attributes through the following two parameters. Speed Multiplier - At the default value of 1, particles will maintain the exact speed of the FumeFX fluid. At 0, the particles will have no speed at all. Also, since negative values are ed, you can make particles move in opposition to the FumeFX fluid. Speed Variation - This value represents a percentage of the fluid speed.

Channels Group of Controls

All parameters in the Channel group are identical to those of the Fluid Test; refer to the FumeFX Test section of this reference for more information.

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Subframe Sampling - By default, his option is enabled. Use this feature to reduce or avoid a puffy appearance in particles. "Puffing" occurs when particles are released in separate clusters (i.e., “puffs”) of particles, rather than in a continuous stream. This option remedies this by emitting particles throughout the frame at a much higher subframe resolution. Uniqueness - This group lets you alter the randomization of creation points within a valid test area. Seed - This specifies a randomization value. New - This option will randomly select a new seed.

FumeFX Follow Operator

Basically, the FumeFX Follow Operator forces particles to move in the same way as fluid does throughout the simulation. This will makes it seem as though the particles are part of the fluid, and can be used to add detail to the simulation. This operator only acts on particles that are inside the fluid – all other particles are ignored.

Affect Position checkbox - This option is on by default. It will make particles move in the same way that fluid does during the simulation. If you change the Velocity Multiplier from the default value of 1, particles will respectively faster or slower than the fluid, but still in the same direction. Negative values are ed, so particles can move in opposition to the fluid. 93


Affect Orientation checkbox - This option is on by default. It will make the particles move in the direction of the fluid’s movement. Max Ang. Vel - The Maximum Angular Velocity value can limit the turning velocity for the particles. This value is set in radians per second.

Delete Particles Group of Controls

If a particle leaves the FumeFX grid – whether permanently or temporarily – you can choose to delete it by turning on the If Out Of Grid checkbox. Likewise You can also delete particles that enter areas in simulation that are occupied by an object by activating the In With Object checkbox. If the particle is not deleted it will continue its movement uninterrupted by FumeFX.

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FumeFX Thinking Particle Operators

FumeFX Thinking Particles Operators Particle Flow (PF) and Thinking Particles (TP) are similar in that both allow you to control the characteristics of particles over the course of their life at a very granular level. So, in order to enhance your use of Particle Sources, FumeFX comes equipped with several common operators for each of these systems. You can achieve fantastic results with either; however, there are certain instances in which Thinking Particles is your better option. In Particle Flow, particle changes are generally triggered by time related events, which must happen in order for a change to take place. Unfortunately, this event-driven system can sometimes be cumbersome to manage. Thinking Particles, on the other hand, is rule-based and offers you an advanced approach to handling particles. In this system, changes in particle behavior are governed by simple rules, regardless of their timing. The operators for Thinking Particles are Birth, Follow, Probe, and Test. To create a FumeFX Birth, Follow or Probe, go to Create in the TP interface > Operators, and then select AfterWorks in drop-down list. To create a FumeFX Test, go to Create in the TP interface > Conditions, and then select AfterWorks group in drop-down list. The interfaces for TP and PF operators are essentially the same, so you can refer to FumeFX PF Operators section for basic interface information. There are a few differences, including the fact that TP operators include a few additional features that are customary in their use. For example, the parameters of each operator can be connected to and from other TP operators.

Test Operator

One feature in TP that is not available through PFlow is the ability to perform tests on any point in world space, instead of just particle position. Radio Button - Use this to select what you want the operator to test. Choose either Use Particle Input (particle position) or Use Position Input (world position). This selection must be directly selected in the interface; it cannot be connected as input. Another benefit is TP’s extended test outputs. Besides outputting the final test result, TP also outputs test results for each channel. These outputs are named Channel Name Test, e.g., Smoke Test. Values found for each channel are also outputted and named Channel Name Value, e.g., Smoke Value. And, in the case that some of the channels were not exported by FumeFX simulation or the point in question is outside of FumeFX grid, you can test to see if the channel values are valid. These outputs are named Channel Name Valid, e.g., Smoke Valid.

Birth Operator

This is organized into two rollouts: one for Birth parameters and one for Test parameters.

Test Rollout:

These are the same as test-related parameters found in PFlow Birth Operator, except that here there are no Uniqueness or Sub-frame sampling controls.

Birth Rollout: 95


Creation group of controls Group - Here, select which particles group newborn particles will belong to. Birth rate, Per Volume, and Jitter - refer to PFlow Birth operator. Inherit From FumeFX - Refer to the Particle Flow Birth operator for more information. Particle Values - This group uses the same layout as the default TP operator, Position Born. Here, you can set the Life span, Speed, Direction Vector, Size, and Mass of particles along with a variation parameter for each. The Emit distance parameter has not been included as it is not necessary in FumeFX. Please refer to TP manual’s section on Position Born for details on how to use these options.

Follow Operator

Basically, the FumeFX Follow Operator forces particles to move in the same way as fluid does throughout the simulation. This will makes it seem as though the particles are part of the fluid, and can be used to add detail to the simulation. This operator only acts on particles that are inside the fluid – all other particles are ignored. Speed - This option is on by default. It will make particles move in the same way that fluid does during the simulation. If you change the Force Multipier from the default value of 1, particles will move respectively faster or slower than the fluid, but still in the same direction. Negative values are ed, so particles can move in opposition to the fluid. Influence % - refers to the percentage of FumeFX’s velocity (multiplied with the above multiplier) blended over the existing particle velocity in one frame. Thus 100% means that the particle follows FumeFX velocity completely; anything less gives wind-like effects. Orientation - This option is on by default. It will make the particles move in the direction of the fluid’s movement. Max Ang. Vel - The Maximum Angular Velocity value can limit the turning velocity for the particles. This value is set in radians per second. Out Of Grid - If a particle leaves the FumeFX grid – whether permanently or temporarily – you can choose to delete it. You can also delete particles that enter areas in simulation that are occupied by an object. If the particle is not deleted it will continue its movement uninterrupted by FumeFX. Refer to the Particle Flow Follow operator for more information.

Probe Operator

This operator is unique to Thinking Particles. It isolates some of the abilities available through the Test operator and primarily exists for simplicity. Its interface only allows you to pick a FumeFX object and select whether you want to extract values from either a point in world space or a particle position. Radio Button - Use this, just as you would in the Test operator, to select what you want the operator to test. Choose either Use Particle Input (particle position) or Use Position Input (world position). This selection must be directly selected in the interface; it cannot be connected as input. 96

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NOTE: You must connect a particle stream if you use particle input, or a point3 value if you use position input. Outputs from this operator are: Point in Grid (bool) - This tells you whether the particle or point3 is inside current FumeFX adaptive grid limits or not. Channel values - This yields values for Smoke (float), Temperature (float), Fire (float), Fuel (float), Vorticity (float) and Velocity (point3). They are all set to zero if the point is outside of FumeFX grid.

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FumeFX Preferences

Preferences FumeFX Preferences allow you to customize the way in which your system handles each instance of simulation as well as the overall simulation data. The Preference window can be opened via the Preferences Icon in the Modify Toolbar (with the FumeFX Grid selected), or from the Preferences Menu within the FumeFX UI floating dialog.

General Group of Controls

These checkbox options affect the way that FumeFX will use RAM for any simulation. These preferences apply to the overall function of the plug-in. Clear RAM After Simulation - This option is on by default; if de-selected, FumeFX grid data will remain in RAM until you render the scene or run another simulation. It is best to de-select

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Reference this option if you want to run a simulation by one, or a few, steps at a time. This will save time since FumeFX won’t to save and load the simulation from disk with every simulation step. Another reason to turn this option off would be in order to save the fluid state in the snapshot file after the simulation has ended. Swap to Disk if Out of RAM - It is highly recommended that you keep simulation sizes within the available RAM. If this is not possible, this option makes FumeFX swap the simulation data to disk, resulting in about a tenfold increase in simulation times.

Snapshot Options Group of Controls

These options affect the way you manage data from the individual states of a given simulation. These are local parameters, which are saved with each FumeFX instance. None - If checked, FumeFX will not save any simulation states. Ability to Stop/Continue checkbox - With this option enabled, all necessary data needed for FumeFX to stop and continue a simulation will be saved to disk. This means that once you have stopped your simulation, you can change any parameters and then continue from the frame that you stopped at. The following options save the state of the simulation at specified frames, under the same name and path as output files, but with a different extension (.fdc). This makes it possible to continue the simulation from those frames, or use them as starting point for other simulations with the same grid size. Every Nth frame - This option saves the state of the simulation every N frames, relative to frame 0 on the time slider. Frames - With this option, you can save simulation states at specific frames. Enter your chosen frame numbers, separated by commas. Delete Snapshots on Scene Exit - This option will delete all “Nth frame” and “Selected frame” files when closing the scene or deleting the FumeFX object.

Global Parameters Group of Controls The preferences in this group define how FumeFX simulation files are handled. These parameters, like 3ds Max preferences, are independent of scene and FumeFX instances. Path Options The parameters in this group affect the configuration of output files. Default Output Path - Here, the output path and file name will be automatically generated whenever a new FumeFX object is created. Inside the default output path, a directory will be created based on the scene name. Output file names will be generated as “FumeFX_Object_Name_FrameNumber.fxd.” If the scene is still untitled, a folder is created with a random file name, such as “FumeFX24345656.fxd.” Scratch Disk: This is where FumeFX will store all temporary information during simulations. It will default to your hard drive, although you can specify another location to use. You should 99

Printed Documentation reserve a few GB of space on that drive, depending on the size of simulations you will run. Any files found there when you are not working with FumeFX are okay to delete.

Multithreading Group of Controls Multithreading options define the resources you use during simulation. You can choose whether to Use all available U's, or manually set the number of simulation Threads up to the current maximum of 16.

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FusionWorks Renderer

FusionWorks Renderer The FusionWorks Renderer is required for rendering and also serves to seamlessly blend between two or more overlapping FumeFX instances. It works not only within FumeFX, but also in combination with all other Sitni Sati volumetric plug-ins, such as DreamScape, AfterBurn and ScatterVL Pro. The FusionWorks Renderer is automatically added to the Environment list after you create the first instance of FumeFX in a scene. FusionWorks collects atmospheric samples from all of the compatible volumetric effects that the rendering ray traverses. Samples are collected separately for each object instance (FumeFX, for example) or each volumetric effect instance (e.g., AfterBurn). The sample step size for each is set by the corresponding plug-in. These samples are then sorted and blended together.

Parameters Rollout Global Step Scale - With this parameter you can change the rendering step size of all FusionWorks compatible plug-ins at once. Increase to accelerate the rendering, decrease if you experience rendering artifacts. Create Channels - Creates any of the following channels, which might be specific to a particular plug-in: Particle Age - This applies only to AfterBurn.

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Printed Documentation Effect Channel - This allows you to apply rendering effects to compatible volumetrics. You must set the Effect ID in the compatible plug-in (AfterBurn and FumeFX). Image Motion Blur - This channel allows image motion blur on compatible volumetrics (AfterBurn, FumeFX).

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Render Elements

Render Elements Beyond standard rendering, FumeFX also s 3ds Max's built-in Render Elements functionality. There are three available Render Element options for FumeFX: FumeFX Smoke, FumeFX: Fire and FusionWorks Z Depth es. The first two export the simulated Smoke and Fire channels into separate es. They have no additional parameters; and if there is more than one instance of FumeFX within the scene, their results will be blended into a single result. So ALL of the FumeFX Smoke effects would go onto a single layer, etc.

The FusionWorks Z Depth Render Element does have Min. and Max. spinners so that the can input the scene depth that FumeFX should calculate it's on.

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MAXScripting FumeFX

MAXScript & FumeFX MAXScript is a powerful 3ds Max language that allows s to customize their interface, automate tasks, or increase functionality. FumeFX’s open architecture facilitates the use of this tool, which means you can tailor FumeFX to meet your own needs. Refer to the 3ds Max Reference Guide for general information on how to use this tool.

Functions Exposed by FumeFX 3ds Max Objects Saving and Loading Presets

SavePresets presetFile This saves all current FumeFX settings to a preset file “presetFile.fxp” in default preset folder. The output returns false on error. LoadPresets presetFile rollouts Use this to load all or some of the controls from the preset file “presetFile.fxp”. The output returns false upon error. The Rollouts parameter is an array with some of the following values: all: load all rollouts grid: load all rollouts from Grid Tab sim: load all rollouts from Simulation Tab render: load all rollouts from Render Tab illum: load all rollouts from Illumination Tab grid_dim: load Grid Tab / General Parameters Rollout grid_play: load Grid Tab / Playback Rollout grid_rec: load Grid Tab / Recording Param eters Rollout sim_main: load Simulation Tab / Simulation Rollout sim_smoke: load Simulation Tab / Smoke Rollout sim_fuel: load Simulation Tab / Fuel Rollout sim_temp: load Simulation Tab / Temperature Rollout sim_fm: load Simulation Tab / Fluid Mapping Rollout render_main: load Rendering Tab / Rendering Parameters 104

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shader: load Rendering Tab / Shader Rollout Examples: -- have FumeFX01 save its settings to file mypreset.fxp in default presets folder $FumeFX01.SavePresets “mypreset1” -- have selected FumeFX object load Render Tab > Render parameters rollup and Simulation Tab > Fuel rollup from file mypreset1.fxd. $.LoadPresets "mypreset1" #(#render_main, #sim_fuel) -- have FumeFX01 load all rollouts in Grid Tab from file mypreset.fxd. $FumeFX01.LoadPresets "mypreset" #grid

Simulation Control RunSimulation() This does exactly the same as hitting the start button on the FumeFX Floater. Simulation will run from StartFrame to EndFrame. SaveOutput outputFile This saves a .fxd type output file; note, you must enter the full file name. Output returns false on error. SaveSim presetFile This saves a .fdc type simulation file; note, you must enter full file name. Output returns false on error. GetPath() This returns the current base output file name without the frame number suffix. SetPath outputFile This sets output file name. You must enter the path and base file name; the extension is not necessary. $FumeFX01.SetPath “F:/temp/FumeFX/aa” $FumeFX01.SetPath “F:/temp/FumeFX/aa.fxd” AddSource <node>source Use this to attach FumeFX Sources to FumeFX. It is quivalent to picking a Source object in the Objects of the Floater Window. RemoveSource <node>source Use this to remove Force FumeFX Sources from FumeFX. It is equivalent to removing a Source object in the Objects of the Floater Window. AddForce <node>force Use this to attach Force objects like Wind to FumeFX. It is equivalent to picking a Force object in Objects of the Floater Window. RemoveForce <node> force Use this to remove Force objects like Wind from FumeFX. It is equivalent to removing a Force object in Objects of the Floater Window.

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FumeFX MAXScript Functions for Accessing the Simulation

By learning to use FumeFX functions created for MAXScript, you can do almost anything that you want with FumeFX – including things not provided for in the default interface. It is possible for you to plug in script between all significant phases of the simulation or even disable some simulation steps altogether. In this version of FumeFX, MAXScript cannot be called from the Listener, Macro Scripts, or in other way except from within FumeFX while the simulation is running or the output is being loaded. Preparation of the scripts takes place in the General of the Floater Window. You can access this by clicking the Edit Script button in the MAXScript rollout. If you create a script that will modify all of the voxels in a simulation (which could be tens of millions), it will execute at reasonable speeds, measured in seconds. To get the feel of it, here is an example script: fn PostObjects = ( for i in 0 to (nx - 1) do for j in 0 to (ny - 1) do for k in 0 to (nz - 1) do SetSmoke i j k k/nz ) PostObjects is a “callback” function that FumeFX will call in every frame of the simulation after it has applied all sources and objects. It will go though all voxels in the adaptive grid (nx, ny and nz are global variables provided by FumeFX) and initialize the Smoke channel with a vertical gradient going from 0 to 1 over the local Z-axis. Channel is a set using voxel coordinates.

MAXScript in FumeFX Simulation

How it works: When you click Edit Script in the Simulation group, you will see a template in which to write your scripts. In it there are certain MAXScript functions that FumeFX will call during simulation. All of them are called once for each step of the simulation, unless otherwise noted. Callback Functions Note: Currently, the PostAdvection and PostPressure functions are for experimental use only, but are provided for those who are familiar with their use. PreSim: Called once – at the beginning of simulation, before the first step has started, but after possible snapshot or stop/continue data has been loaded. PostSim: Called once - after the last step of the simulation has ended and while the simulation results are still in memory. PostObjects: Think of this as a scripted Source. It is called after the Adaptive grid has adjusted and FumeFX Sources, objects, and forces have all been applied. Here, you can additionally initialize the grid any way you like. Vorticity: This is the only place where Vorticity can be customized. The AddVort function allows every voxel can have its own Vorticity strength. Be aware that the stability of simulation can become unreliable when using values greater than 1.

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Reference PostForces: Buoyancy, Gravity, Vorticity, Motion Drag have been applied. Here you can apply custom forces such as: radial gravity, motion drag dependent on object distance, etc… PostAdvection: This is called after Velocities have moved through one step. If you have disabled FumeFX's Advection phase, you could theoretically write your own version in this function. PostDiffuse: This is called after movement of Smoke and Fuel and their diffusion and dissipation. This is the proper time to set Fuel and Temperature values to control fires. PostStep: This is called following a whole simulation step, after the Fuel has been burned and diffusion and dissipation applied. You can set any kind of influence between channels here. If you have disabled FumeFX’s Burn phase, you could use this to burn Fuel your way.

Skipping FumeFX Simulation Phases

If you want to skip certain FumeFX simulation phases completely, uncomment in the template, or write the following statements on the global level of the script: skipForces = true skipAdvection = true skipPressure = true skipBurn = true This is not recommended unless you have experience. A few examples of when you can skip certain phases are: You can skip Pressure and Advection phase if you simulate only the effects of diffusion. You can skip the Burn phase if you want to burn Fuel some other way. You can skip Forces if you want to apply buoyancy, gravity or motion drag in some specific way, such as depending on position or distance from objects. So, what can you do within these functions? Basically, you can get and set values for the main channels: Smoke, Fuel, Temperature and Velocity. You can also stop or cancel simulation and write messages to the FumeFX status window. Simulation Control Functions ffxPrintToStatus <string>message This prints message to FumeFX status window during simulation. ffxStopSimulation() This is equivalent to pressing the Stop button in the status window. ffxCancelSimulation() This is equivalent to pressing the Cancel button in the status window. ffxHoldWindowOnce()

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Printed Documentation If this function is called during simulation, then after the simulation has stopped or cancelled, the simulation window will stay open, regardless of Hold Window checkbox selection. Get Channel Functions Smoke is used in this example; however, all other channels are analogous. The ways to get Smoke values are: GetSmoke i j k In this function, i, j, and k respectively represent the X, Y, and Z-axis coordinates in an adaptive grid. Voxel coordinates can range from 0 to nx-1 for i, 0 to ny–1 for j, and 0 to nz-1 for k. So, to get the smoke value in first voxel you would write GetSmoke 0 0 0 Or, to get it from the top center voxel you would write: GetSmoke (nx/2) (ny/2) (nz) GetSmokeByIndex index This is slightly faster than the form GetSmoke i j k. It uses only one parameter, voxel index, which is computed (i*ny + j)*nz + k. To get the average value of smoke average = 0.0 for ind in 0 to (voxels-1) do (average += GetSmokeByIndex ind) average /= voxels GetSmokeLocal <point3>lpt Here lpt is a point in a FumeFX object or local space. Unless the pivot is moved, the center of that coordinate system is the bottom center point of the FumeFX object. FumeFX dimensions are exposed through FumeFX nodes: Width, Length, and Height. GetSmokeLocal [10.0, 10.0, $FumeFX01.Heigth/2] GetSmokeWorld <point3>wpt <matrix3>FumeFXt Here wWpt is a position in world coordinates. You must also provide a FumeFX transformation matrix. To get Smoke density at some object’s position wpt = $sensor01.position tm = $FumeFX01.transform if ((GetSmokeWorld wpt tm) > threshold) then myfunction() These functions will return undefined if you ask for non-existing coordinates or coordinates outside of the grid. They will also return undefined if the channel has not been allocated – for example GetFuel() if Simulate Fire has been turned off in the Simulation tab. A complete list of set functions is: float GetSmoke float GetSmokeByIndex float GetSmokeLocal

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Reference float GetSmokeWorld float GetTemp float GetTempByIndex float GetTempLocal float GetTempWorld float GetFuel float GetFuelByIndex float GetFuelLocal float GetFuelWorld point3 GetVel point3 GetVelByIndex point3 GetVelLocal point3 GetVelWorld Usage of functions: GetChannel i j k GetChannelByIndex index GetChannelLocal lpt GetChannelWorld wpt TM Index and i,j,k coordinates must be ed as integers. Set Channel Functions To set channel values, functions are provided that are analogous to the Get functions. They only have one additional parameter – value to set. Input ranges are not checked – so accuracy is important. The output can return true or false even if the value was, for some reason, not set. These functions set value at one voxel only – the voxel that the point belongs to. SetSmoke i j k value This uses adaptive grid voxel coordinates. SetSmokeByIndex index value This uses voxel index. 109


SetSmokeLocal <point3>lpt value This uses FumeFX local coordinates. SetSmokeWorld <point3>wpt <matrix3>FumeFXtm value This uses world coordinates. A complete list of set functions is: float SetSmoke float SetSmokeByIndex float SetSmokeLocal float SetSmokeWorld float SetTemp float SetTempByIndex float SetTempLocal float SetTempWorld float SetFuel float SetFuelByIndex float SetFuelLocal float SetFuelWorld point3 SetVel point3 SetVelByIndex point3 SetVelLocal point3 SetVelWorld Usage of functions: SetChannel i j k value SetChannelByIndex index value SetChannelLocal lpt value SetChannelWorld wpt TM value 110

Reference

Smoke, Fuel and Temperature are float channels, and Velocity is a point3 channel. to set the point3 channels with the point3 values, for example: SetVelByIndex index [x,y,z]

More Channel Functions There are also functions for Vorticity and Turbulence. Used in simulation, they are cumulative with UI defined global Vorticity and Turbulence. If you wish to use only the scripted values, you must set Vorticity and Turbulence strength in the UI to 0. Note: Vorticity strengths above 1 may, in rare cases, make the simulation unstable. To add Turbulence, you can use: AddTurb i j k value AddTurbByIndex index value AddVort functions can only be used during Vorticity callback. AddVort i j k value AddVortByIndex index value You can fill the entire channel with a given value using the following functions: FillSmoke value FillFuel value FillTemp value FillVel <point3>value MAXScript after Loading Output It is possible to post-process FumeFX output files at the time of loading. Here, for example, you can change the displayed result or the result used by the particles without affecting the simulation. Appropriate callback is called PostLoad. Example: To set smoke to any given minimum value throughout the entire grid, achieving a fog-like effect, enter the following script. fn PostLoad = ( sm = 1.0 -- desired minimum smoke value for i in 0 to (voxels-1) do ( s = GetSmokeByIndex if (s < sm) then ( SetSmokeByIndex sm ) ) 111

Printed Documentation ) Switching between Coordinates If you want to make modifications to FumeFX voxels, you will most often run loops in voxel space or index range. However, you may need to do some calculations in local or world space for some modifications. For this and similar cases, converter functions exist between various coordinate spaces that FumeFX uses. List of functions: ffxVoxelPtToIndex <point3>vpt <point3> ffxVoxelPtToLocal <point3>vpt <point3> ffxVoxelPtToWorld <point3>vpt <point3> ffxIndexToVoxel ind <point3> ffxIndexToLocal ind <point3> ffxIndexToWorld ind ffxLocalPtToIndex <point3>lpt <point3> ffxLocalPtToVoxel <point3>lpt <point3> ffxLocalPtToWorld <point3>lpt ffxWorldPtToIndex <point3>wpt <point3> ffxWorldPtToVoxel <point3>wpt <point3> ffxWorldPtToLocal <point3>wpt VoxelPtTo… functions take point3 as argument, in adaptive grid coordinates, ranging [0.,0.,0.] – [nx, ny, nz]. IndexTo… functions take integer as argument, ranging from 0 to (voxels-1). LocalPtTo… functions take point3 as argument, in FumeFX local coordinates, ranging from [-Width/2, -Length/2, 0.] - [Width/2, Length/2, Height] for values inside the FumeFX grid. WorldPtTo… functions take point3 as argument, in world coordinates. IndexTo… functions must get valid index or they return undefined, other functions will convert between spaces regardless of whether the point is within FumeFX grid or not.

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Reference …ToVoxel functions return point3 ranging from 0 to [0.,0.,0.] – [nx, ny, nz]. …ToIndex functions return integer ranging from 0 to (voxels-1). …ToLocal functions return point3 ranging from 0 to [-Width/2, -Length/2, 0.] - [Width/2, Length/2, Height] for values inside FumeFX grid. …ToWorld functions return point3 in world space.

Various Issues

FumeFX will execute MAXScript commands in a single thread, but the usual simulation phases still execute in multiple threads. So, if you do heavy scripting you can expect some slowdowns. If you Get and Set just a few channel values at once, you will not have to be concerned with memory issues. However, should you want to keep a copy of a whole channel in memory as a MAXScript array, you will have to enlarge MAXScript’s heap size. To do this, go to Customize > Preferences > MaxScript tab > Memory group > Initial heap allocation. To copy a float channel with 1 million voxels to MAXScript’s array you will need 28MB of MAXScript Heap memory, and for a point3 channel you will need 36MB. If you no longer need such a big array or if you want to overwrite it, do the following: arrayname = #() -- make it an empty array arrayname = undefined -- or undefine it completely gc light:true -- wipe it from memory The statement “gc” invokes the MAXScript garbage collector. Otherwise, if the array takes most of the MAXScript heap, just writing to the same array twice may take an incredibly long time. See the “Memory Allocation and Garbage Collection” and “Manual Garbage Collection” in the MAXScript Reference for more detail.

Notes

You have to provide valid values to FumeFX when you set them. For Fuel, ranges are –100 to 100. Set negative values to have fuel in non-burning state, or set positive values to have already burning fuel. If you want to use the time slider’s global variable in FumeFX scripts, add one frame to it. FumeFX sets the time slider when it has finished calculating a frame. For example, when calculation of frame 5 is in progress, the slider time global variable will still be at frame 4.

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Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks This section provides an assortment of miscellaneous advice to help you get great results while avoiding possible problems with FumeFX.

Shadows and “spiky” AFC

The image below shows an example of a “spiky” AFC. If the overall smoke opacity is also high, it may produce unpredictable results with Illumination Maps and Multiple Scattering. To fix this, soften the AFC a bit and reduce opacity. If light strength in the smoke diminishes to 0 in less than a few voxels, you may experience unpredictable results, such as sudden changes of illumination in some areas.

As smoke drops to 0, opacity increases to maximum, and suddenly to 0. This may be desirable for the Fire AFC, but use cautiously with smoke

Here the problem is the same, except the spike is offset to the right.

Particle Operators

If you need to follow FumeFX movement, export the velocity channel. Record caches and then play them back. Make sure to set cache updates to Manual in Particle Flow. Rely on Cache recordings in TP, as well; otherwise you may experience severe slowdowns.

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Adaptive Grid Practices

Adaptive Grid #1 If there is a source (Simple, Object, or Particle) that has no effect over a specific time range, set its Active key to off in that range. If you don’t, then in every frame FumeFX will repeatedly stretch its adaptive grid over the area, only to immediately shrink it back again when no values are applied. This obviously results in a waste of memory and time. Adaptive Grid #2 If you are using Object or Particle Sources, and that source’s bounding box stretches beyond FumeFX’ bounding box, FumeFX will, at every step, stretch the adaptive grid over the source and then, if no values are applied, shrink it back again. This results in a waste of memory and time. Adaptive Grid #3 How do you enlarge the adaptive grid through forces or turbulence? Set the grid’s adaptive sensitivity to 0,0. If there are no active sources in the grid, you will have to create one FumeFX Source. Set the source to Free Flow and set all its values to 0 (so it won’t change anything). Attach the source to FumeFX and the adaptive grid will start growing from that source’s location.

Max 9 & Light Tracer

You may get an assertion error in point3.h if you use Light Tracer with bounces set to a value of 1 or more. You can safely ignore this message. Simply click “Don’t show me this message again” and then “Continue”.

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AFC and Gradient Control

AFC and Gradient Control Animation Flow Curves

Animation Flow Curves (AFCs) are used by FumeFX to animate many parameters over time from one value to another. By default, they are all disabled and need to be manually enabled to create an effect. Sometimes you don't need to animate a parameter over the particle age, thus you won't need to use an AFC associated with it. However, many times it is advantageous to be able to animate the parameter, such as the Phase of the noise so that the volumetric effects move realistically. In such cases, you must right-click over the AFC icon to open the menu and switch it from the [Disable] state to [Enable]. The right-click menu also provides quick access to AFC options such as Copy, Paste and Reset.

When enabled, the AFC icon will become colored as shown in the image below.

When you left-click over an enabled AFC icon, the following Graph Editor will appear:

In the Graph Editor, the bottom left corner indicates the Low value for the chosen parameter, and the top right corner indicates the High value. The curve you define will be used to interpolate between these two values. 116

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You can change the key type by right-clicking on the points as shown below. Be aware that when you click on a point, it turns white to indicate it is active.

When you do you get another pop-up where you can choose the type of curve you want applied to that point. Smooth – Creates a smooth curve, which has automatic tangent adjustment. Corner – Parts of the segment that are closer to the point will have linear characteristics. Bezier – Enables you to adjust the handles, which represent the curve slope at the point location. There’s also a toolbar in the bottom right corner; its buttons are described below. Copy - Allows you to copy all keys. Paste - Lets you paste keys from any other AFC. Delete - Removes all selected points. Reset - Resets the layout.

Keyboard Shortcuts when over a curve point: Shift + left mouse button drag - restricts the movement to X-axis Ctrl + left mouse button drag - restricts the movement to Y-axis right mouse button - Pops up a menu (smooth, corner, delete key)

Gradient Controls

Gradients are used to change the specific colors over the particle age. Gradients are accessible by clicking the small icon located on the FumeFX Interface.

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Some of the frequently used gradient options are accessible through the menu which is available by right-clicking the Gradient’s icon as shown below.

Keyless mode - In this mode the Gradient will behave as a single color picker where the color is constant throughout the particle life. Copy - Copy the selected gradient. Paste - Paste a selected gradient. Load - Load a previously saved gradient .AGT file. Save - Saves the selected gradient to an .AGT file. Reset - Clears all the keys and sets the Gradient’s state to the default. When you left-click on the small gradient icon within the AfterBurn dialog, a larger dialog box will appear.

The left edge of the gradient is equivalent to the particle’s birth, while the right edge of the gradient is equivalent to the particle’s death. The status line is located above the gradient and shows the ID number of the currently edited key, with its color and position expressed as the particle age. To get the best accuracy out of a particle age status line, you must manually adjust the particle life (the default is 100) in the AfterBurn Particles Property dialog box. There are two types of the Gradient: Linear and TCB. Linear - This gradient type uses the linear interpolation between the color keys. TCB - Tension, Continuity, Bias, Ease To (eT) and Ease From (eF) parameters provide a lot more flexibility than the Linear gradient type. By using these parameters, you can change the influence of each color key on the color interpolation along the segment.

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Reference

Gradient Usage Left-click on gradient - After you release the button, a color key will be added at the selected place. Double left-click on key - Opens the color picker. Left-click + drag mouse on gradient – Doing this allows you to select multiple keys simultaneously. Left-click on key + drag mouse - Moves the color key to the desired place. Right-click on key - Opens the key menu as shown below. The options within this menu allow you to copy flag colors from one color key to another quickly as well as delete a key.

Right-click on gradient - Opens the gradient menu where you can also reset the entire gradient as well as copy, paste, load and save them.

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Tutorials Tutorial 1: Candle Flame

In this introductory tutorial you will learn how to use FumeFX at a basic level. It will also introduce you to the FumeFx UI. 1. In 3ds Max, select File->Open, and from your /Scenes/FumeFX/ Tutorials folder, select the file Tut_01_start.max. This scene is nothing more than simple candle geometry. We're going to add the flame to the wick. 2. After the file loads, go to the Create Command , select FumeFX from the dropdown list, then click on FumeFX. 3. From within the Top viewport, draw out a FumeFX Grid as shown below to roughly match the size of the simulation area at the top of the candle. Then in any viewport, move the FumeFX Grid gizmo into position at the top of the candle geometry.

NOTE: Make the FumeFX grid only as large as the simulation area you need. This will effect your simulation times in a big way. . Now that you have a FumeFX Grid in place, you need to create a Source to help drive the simulation. 4. Back within the Create Command , go to the Helpers section, choose FumeFX from the dropdown menu, then select Object Src.

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5. Drag out the Object Source gizmo outside of the FumeFX grid in any viewport. Since the FumeFX Object Source simply informs the FumeFX simulation engine of an object you want as part of the sim, it doesn't need to reside within the FumeFX Grid volume. 6. Within the FumeFX Object Source Parameters, click the Pick button, then select wick as your Object. Make sure it shows within the FumeFX Object Source as shown below.

7. Select the FumeFX Grid gizmo again, then go to the Modify Command . 8. From the Parameters rollout, click on the Open FumeFX UI button up the FumeFX UI floating dialog window.

. This will bring

The FumeFX UI floating dialog is where you'll add your sources, then set up your simulation. 9. Select the Obj/Src button at the top of the FumeFX UI dialog. 10. Within this , click the Pick Object icon, then choose the FumeFX Object Source gizmo that you created next to the FumeFX Grid in the 3ds Max viewports. When done, your FumeFX UI will look like the image below. Be sure to note that all of the controls for the Object Source show up within this , so you can tweak your settings for the Object gizmo without having to select it and alter it within the Modify Command .

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11. Under the FFX Object Source Parameters rollout make sure the amount of Fuel is set to 100 and the amount of Temperature is set to 300. 12. Next, click on the General button in the FumeFX UI.

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13. In the General Parameters rollout change the Grid Spacing to 0.5. This allows you to control the amount of detail in the simulation. 14. Make sure that the Adaptive checkbox is active.

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Tutorials 15. Under the Output rollout you need to set an output path to store the simulation data. Click on the ellipsis (...) button next to the path and then create and set a new folder location on your hard disk to store the date. A good option would be to put your simulation data into individual folders. Something on the order of creating a main folder \FumeFXSimData, and then creating new sub-folders for your different sims. You can create a new sub-folder for this one called \FFXTut01. 16. Now lets move on and select the Simulation tab.

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17. Under the Simulation rollout make sure that Quality is set to 5, Maximum Iterations is set to 200 and the Time Scale is set to 1. 18. Under the System rollout, change Gravity to 0 and Buoyancy to 2. 126

Tutorials 19. Under the Fuel rollout, change the Ignition Temperature to 100, Burn Rate to 40 and the Burn Rate Variation to 0.1. 20. Now lets select the Rendering tab.

21. Under the Fire rollout set the Color spinner to 1.25, then right-click on the Color swatch and choose Key Mode. 22. Next, we want to build a gradient for the fire color. Since a candle's flame goes from orange to yellow to blue to black(transparent), that's our goal. Double-click on the gradient swatch to open up the Gradient dialog. Try and match your Fire Gradient to the image below.

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23. Once the Gradient is set, close that dialog and check to make sure the Fire Opacity is set to 2.0. 24. Under the Smoke rollout change the Ambient Color to a dark Gray (RGB: 30, 30, 30) and the Opacity to 1. 25. Now we are all set to run the simulation. 26. Choose the start Simulation button from the top of the FumeFX UI dialog.

At this point, the simulation begins and you will see a progress dialog pop up.

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27. While the simulation is running, you can click on the Preview Window icon to see how your candle flame will look.

When the simulation ends, if you scrub your frame slider you'll notice that it doesn't appear anything has changed in your Max scene. This is due to the fact that you haven't turned on the viewport preview of the simulation. Rest assured that the data is present, it just needs to be made viewable. 28. Within the Modify Command , go to the FumeFX Grid's Viewport rollout. 29. Under the Channel / Threshold group of controls, turn on the checkboxes for both the Fire and Smoke. 30. Scrub your frame slider again.

Now you can see both the fire and smoke voxel simulation solutions within the 3ds Max viewports. 129


31. Next, turn the Smoke channel off from the Command .

You're left with only the Fire channel's solution displayed in the 3ds Max viewports. What's more, is that you should be able to see the color gradient you set earlier displayed in the voxel viewport representation. This can be a VERY handy way to see how the various aspects of your simulation are reacting. What's more, it means if you want to tweak the coloration, you can do so now and see how it affects your calculated simulation without having to re-run it. Also, depending on how much height you gave your FumeFX Grid, you will most likely see the smoke hitting the top part of the volume and disappearing. Keep the boundary edges in mind when setting up your scenes. Depending on what effect you're after, you'll want to make sure you have enough room to let your simulations run naturally without hitting the boundaries of the volume. 32. Finally, make sure your Perspective viewport is active and render a frame.

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On your own, you should render out the entire animation to see how the flame behaves. Also, experiment with the Gravity and Buoyancy spinners and re-run the simulation to see how these affect the movement and height of the flame and surrounding smoke. While fairly simple, this first tutorial should have given you some ideas of the potential and power within FumeFX. We're not done yet - there's still more to come.

Continue to Tutorial 2

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Tutorial 1: Candle Flame

In this introductory tutorial you will learn how to use FumeFX at a basic level. It will also introduce you to the FumeFx UI. 1. In 3ds Max, select File->Open, and from your /Scenes/FumeFX/ Tutorials folder, select the file Tut_01_start.max. This scene is nothing more than simple candle geometry. We're going to add the flame to the wick. 2. After the file loads, go to the Create Command , select FumeFX from the dropdown list, then click on FumeFX. 3. From within the Top viewport, draw out a FumeFX Grid as shown below to roughly match the size of the simulation area at the top of the candle. Then in any viewport, move the FumeFX Grid gizmo into position at the top of the candle geometry.

NOTE: Make the FumeFX grid only as large as the simulation area you need. This will effect your simulation times in a big way. . Now that you have a FumeFX Grid in place, you need to create a Source to help drive the simulation. 4. Back within the Create Command , go to the Helpers section, choose FumeFX from the dropdown menu, then select Object Src.

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5. Drag out the Object Source gizmo outside of the FumeFX grid in any viewport. Since the FumeFX Object Source simply informs the FumeFX simulation engine of an object you want as part of the sim, it doesn't need to reside within the FumeFX Grid volume. 6. Within the FumeFX Object Source Parameters, click the Pick button, then select wick as your Object. Make sure it shows within the FumeFX Object Source as shown below.

7. Select the FumeFX Grid gizmo again, then go to the Modify Command . 8. From the Parameters rollout, click on the Open FumeFX UI button up the FumeFX UI floating dialog window.

. This will bring

The FumeFX UI floating dialog is where you'll add your sources, then set up your simulation. 9. Select the Obj/Src button at the top of the FumeFX UI dialog. 10. Within this , click the Pick Object icon, then choose the FumeFX Object Source gizmo that you created next to the FumeFX Grid in the 3ds Max viewports. When done, your FumeFX UI will look like the image below. Be sure to note that all of the controls for the Object Source show up within this , so you can tweak your settings for the Object gizmo without having to select it and alter it within the Modify Command .

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11. Under the FFX Object Source Parameters rollout make sure the amount of Fuel is set to 100 and the amount of Temperature is set to 300. 12. Next, click on the General button in the FumeFX UI.

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13. In the General Parameters rollout change the Grid Spacing to 0.5. This allows you to control the amount of detail in the simulation. 14. Make sure that the Adaptive checkbox is active.

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Printed Documentation 15. Under the Output rollout you need to set an output path to store the simulation data. Click on the ellipsis (...) button next to the path and then create and set a new folder location on your hard disk to store the date. A good option would be to put your simulation data into individual folders. Something on the order of creating a main folder \FumeFXSimData, and then creating new sub-folders for your different sims. You can create a new sub-folder for this one called \FFXTut01. 16. Now lets move on and select the Simulation tab.

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17. Under the Simulation rollout make sure that Quality is set to 5, Maximum Iterations is set to 200 and the Time Scale is set to 1. 18. Under the System rollout, change Gravity to 0 and Buoyancy to 2. 137

Printed Documentation 19. Under the Fuel rollout, change the Ignition Temperature to 100, Burn Rate to 40 and the Burn Rate Variation to 0.1. 20. Now lets select the Rendering tab.

21. Under the Fire rollout set the Color spinner to 1.25, then right-click on the Color swatch and choose Key Mode. 22. Next, we want to build a gradient for the fire color. Since a candle's flame goes from orange to yellow to blue to black(transparent), that's our goal. Double-click on the gradient swatch to open up the Gradient dialog. Try and match your Fire Gradient to the image below.

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Tutorials

23. Once the Gradient is set, close that dialog and check to make sure the Fire Opacity is set to 2.0. 24. Under the Smoke rollout change the Ambient Color to a dark Gray (RGB: 30, 30, 30) and the Opacity to 1. 25. Now we are all set to run the simulation. 26. Choose the start Simulation button from the top of the FumeFX UI dialog.

At this point, the simulation begins and you will see a progress dialog pop up.

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27. While the simulation is running, you can click on the Preview Window icon to see how your candle flame will look.

When the simulation ends, if you scrub your frame slider you'll notice that it doesn't appear anything has changed in your Max scene. This is due to the fact that you haven't turned on the viewport preview of the simulation. Rest assured that the data is present, it just needs to be made viewable. 28. Within the Modify Command , go to the FumeFX Grid's Viewport rollout. 29. Under the Channel / Threshold group of controls, turn on the checkboxes for both the Fire and Smoke. 30. Scrub your frame slider again.

Now you can see both the fire and smoke voxel simulation solutions within the 3ds Max viewports. 140

Tutorials

31. Next, turn the Smoke channel off from the Command .

You're left with only the Fire channel's solution displayed in the 3ds Max viewports. What's more, is that you should be able to see the color gradient you set earlier displayed in the voxel viewport representation. This can be a VERY handy way to see how the various aspects of your simulation are reacting. What's more, it means if you want to tweak the coloration, you can do so now and see how it affects your calculated simulation without having to re-run it. Also, depending on how much height you gave your FumeFX Grid, you will most likely see the smoke hitting the top part of the volume and disappearing. Keep the boundary edges in mind when setting up your scenes. Depending on what effect you're after, you'll want to make sure you have enough room to let your simulations run naturally without hitting the boundaries of the volume. 32. Finally, make sure your Perspective viewport is active and render a frame.

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On your own, you should render out the entire animation to see how the flame behaves. Also, experiment with the Gravity and Buoyancy spinners and re-run the simulation to see how these affect the movement and height of the flame and surrounding smoke. While fairly simple, this first tutorial should have given you some ideas of the potential and power within FumeFX. We're not done yet - there's still more to come.


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Tutorial 02: Plasma Vent

In this tutorial you will learn how to create simulations with only fire present. Moreover, you will control the opacity to make a flame transparent and you will also learn how to create a collision container. Finally, you'll see how you can tweak your settings visually AFTER you've run your simulations and add post-process effects to the results. 1. In 3ds Max, select File->Open, and from your /Scenes/FumeFX/ Tutorials folder, select the file Tut_02_start.max. 2. After the file loads, create a FumeFX Grid so that it encomes the entire Engine as is approximately 115 units high as shown below.

Now, in the last tutorial, you created a FumeFX Object Source helper in the viewports and assigned the object from the command so that it could be referenced in the FumeFX simulation. This time, we're going to do it a bit differently to show you another way. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Go to the Helpers section of the Create Command and choose FumeFX. Next, select an Object Src from the list and drag it out in any of the viewports. Now, re-select the FumeFX Grid object and go to the Modify Command . Press the FumeFX UI icon button to open up FumeFX's interface. Select the Obj/Src tab and choose the FumeFX Obj Source help you just created.

Right now, the Object Source in the FumeFX UI dialog doesn't reference any geometry in your scene. But we can easily fix that. 8. With the FFX Object Src01 highlighted in the FumeFX UI dialog, go to the Object Source Parameters rollout and click the Pick button. 9. Choose the Cone01 object as the geometry to be used within the simulation. NOTE: You may want to hit the H-key to select the geometry for FumeFX to use. Now, with the source selected, we now need to set up collision geometry for FumeFX to use within its simulation. 10. Still within the Obj/Source in the FumeFX UI dialog, click the Pick button again. 11. This time, click directly on the geometry in the scene named Case.

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You will notice a few things here once you select the object. Instead of the new entry coming up with the letter 'S' in the Objects/Sources/SpaceWarps list (like what precedes the FFX Obj Source01 entry), it shows up with the letter 'O'. This indicates what sort of node it will represent in the simulation. Sources show up with S, and other objects show up with O. When you have complex scenes, this can be a very handy way of determining what each entry is doing. Additionally, a completely different set of parameters comes up when you select on the Case object in the dialog.

You'll notice that there are only a few options available to an object in your simulation. Basically, FumeFX is asking how you want this collision object to be handled by the simulation engine. 12. Since we are only worried about the inside of the jet case, make sure Solid is selected. 13. Before you move on, select the FFX Object Src01 in the list, and within the Temperature group of controls, change the Amount spinner to 600. By increasing the temperature setting, everything will rise faster due to buoyancy. Next, you'll set up some of the parameters for your simulation. Since this is a jet engine, the amount of smoke we want to produce is very small, and as such, to speed up our simulation, we're going to turn it off and prevent it from being exported as part of the solution. 14. Select the Simulation tab within the FumeFX UI floating dialog, and scroll down to the Smoke rollout. 144

Tutorials 15. Click on the Simulate Smoke checkbox to de-activate it. This will allow us to exclude smoke calculation from the simulation.

16. Next, within the Simulation group of controls, make sure that Advection Stride is set to 0.3. These settings will help make sure that the flames coming from the vent do not slow down too much as they move away from the source and dissipate. 17. Under the System group of controls, set the Vorticity spinner to 0.4 and set the X Turbulence spinner to 0.4 as well. This will give the plasma flames some subtle waves and natural motion. 18. After this, go to the Fuel rollout and set the Ignition Temperature to 0, Burn Rate to 12, Burn Rate Variation to 0.2 and Expansion to 0.6. These settings work in concert to determine how fast and hot the fuel will burn and how much pressure it puts on the simulation volume. 19. Next, select the General Tab and set an output path from the Output rollout. If you followed our suggestion from the first tutorial, simply create a new folder called \Tut02 under the \FFXSimData folder and use it for the jet engine simulation data. While you are in the General tab, make sure the Spacing spinner is set to 2.0. We don't want super detailed plasma flames, and this setting will also help keep sim times low.

20. Next, click the Set button within the Exporting Channels: section to bring up the Select Channels For Output dialog. 21. If it isn't already in the Excluded Channels window, select the Smoke entry in the Exported Channels window, and click the double-arrow button so it moves into the Excluded Channels window. 22. Then click OK to close this dialog. 145


The only channel we want to export is Fuel as shown below.

23. Now select the Render tab and scroll down to the Fire rollout.

24. Within the Fire rollout, set the Color spinner to 9.0 and the Opacity spinner to 0.1. 25. Now right-click on the Color swatch and choose Key Mode. 26. Try to match your Fire Gradient to look like the example below. What you're going for is a dark gray-blue with a small slice of light gray-blue at the center of the flames. Our plasma is going to have a blue tint to it to start. To understand the gradient, try to that the left-most edge represents the edges of the flames, while the rightmost edge represents the core of the flames. So in this case, we want the flames dark on their outer edges and more solid towards their centers.

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Next, you need to create an Animation Flow Curve to control how the Opacity of the flame is handled. 27. Click on the AFC button (it is active by default) to open the curve editor. 28. Now the default curve is not waht we want, so click the Delete button (the small X) to reset the AFC curve to it's default linear state. 29. Next, move the two end points of the curve to match the position of the curve shown below, and then add a point roughly in the middle to give it some curvature.

When done, close the Fire AFC dialog. Now, let's do a quick check:     

FumeFX UI placed where we want the simulation to occur? CHECK. FumeFX Source object helper created to reference our scene geometry to be used as a fuel source? CHECK. Other scene geometry selected to be used as a collision object in simulation? CHECK. Simulation channels determined and set up ( turning off the Smoke channel)? CHECK. Simulation parameters adjusted for a sample run? CHECK.

Alrighty then - you are ready to run your simulation and see what you've got. 30. Before you start your simulation, let's open the Preview Window by clicking on it's button in the FumeFX UI (the light switch icon). 147

Printed Documentation 31. Next, click the Start Simulation button. When it's done, you'll see things aren't quite what we expected.

The plasma looks a bit too bright so it's hard to see the cone in the center. No problem though. The opacity and color of the fire can be tweaked interactively within the Preview Window. 32. With the Preview Window still open, go back to the Rendering tab in the FumeFX UI. 33. Change the Opacity spinner value from 0.1 down to 0.07. Hey! The image updates right in the Preview window. That's because the simulation data is on your hard disk and FumeFX can update the output data in the Preview without having to resimulate the data. This is incredibly powerful when you want to tweak settings such as color and opacity. 34. Next, re-open the Opacity AFC window and change the curve to match this following image.

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Tutorials Again, the Preview Window will update to show you the changes to your flames as you add and move the knots in the Opacity gradient around. Now, let's say that the client decides that blue isn't the color they really want - they want it to be green. No problem. 35. Click on the Color gradient swatch again, and change it as follows:

When you render again, the plasma fire will have changed color, and you didn't have to re-sim!

What makes this SO powerful is that it frees you to make changes to various aspects of your simulation after you've run it. This should unleash your creative side and let you tweak until you've got it just how you envisioned the effect looking.

Adding Post Effects

Next, we're going to add a Lens Effects glow to this plasma to give it some "bloom" in a final render. In order to do this, you'll need to do a few things:   

Assign an Effects Channel to the simulation. Tell Fusionworks to generate Effects Channels. Build the Lens Effects Glow effect and make it key off of the Effect channel set in FumeFX.

Let's get started. 1. Within the FumeFX UI floating dialog, go to the Rendering tab. 2. Under the Rendering Parameters rollout, change the Effects Channel spinner value to 1. 3. Now, go to your 3ds Max environment tab (hit '8' as a quick shortcut to get to it).

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Within this dialog, you'll find the FusionWorks renderer listed under the Atmospheric effects. It is placed there automatically when you start working with FumeFX. In order to get a glow effect to work, you FusionWorks needs to generate channels for use by other post process effects like glows. 4. Highlight the Fusionworks renderer and from the Parameters rollout, click in the Create Channels checkbox to activate it. 5. Next, activate the Effects Channel checkbox as well.

Now that the effect channel can be created, it's time to add the Lens Effects Glow to your FumeFX output. 6. Click on the Effects tab in the Environment and Effects dialog, and hit Add. Choose Lens Effects from the pop-up dialog. 7. Now, within the Lens Effects Parameters rollout, highlight the Glow element and hit the arrow to add it to the active effects.

8. Next, scroll down to the Glow Element rollout, and click on the Options tab. 9. Within the Apply Element To: group of controls, choose Image. Turn the other checkboxes off if they are on. 10. Now under the Image Sources group of controls, activate the checkbox for Material ID, and change it's spinner value to 1. This will match the Effects Channel you set earlier inside of the FumeFX UI floating dialog.

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11. Go back to the Parameters tab within the Glow Element rollout. 12. Change the Size spinner to 35.0, the Intensity spinner to 60 and the Use Source Color to 100. We want the glow to match the color of the original FumeFX output.

13. Render a frame.

As you can see, the glow effect has been applied to your plasma fire. In the next tutorial, you'll take the next step in learning FumeFX by adding maps to your simulations to help add even more realism. Also, you'll learn how to generate simulations that contain nothing but smoke.


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Tutorial 03: Cigarette Smoke

In this next tutorial you will learn how to use noise maps to control the look of your smoke. 1. In 3ds Max, select File->Open, and from your /Scenes/FumeFX/ Tutorials folder, select the file Tut_03_Start.max.

2. Create a FumeFX Grid over the cigarette in the Top or Perspective viewport. Make sure the height of the FumeFX Grid volume is about 115 units. 3. Next, create a FumeFX Source Object helper in any viewport then select the object named fire for your object source (this is the tip of the cigarette). 4. Re-select your FumeFX Grid and go to the Modify Command , then open the FumeFX UI floating dialog. 5. As you have done in previous tutorials, Go to the General tab and set your output path for the simulation to be stored. If you've followed our suggestion, simply create a new sub-folder called \Tut03 beneath the \FumeFXSimData folder. Now that the path is set up, let's start setting our smoke up for our cigarette. 6. Still within the General tab, go to the Simulation Area group of controls and set the Spacing value to 0.4. This will result in a denser simulation grid of voxels, and will result in a more detailed simulation. Understand this will also take up more disk space to store and longer to sim. But since we're going for realism here, this should do the trick. 7. Next set the Sensitivity spinner to 0.05. 8. Once complete, select the Simulation tab in the FumeFX UI floating dialog. 9. Under the Simulation group of controls set the spinners to the following values:  Quality spinner to 4.  Maximum Iterations spinner to 100.  Advection Stride spinner to 0.3  Time Scale spinner to 2.

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10. Next, go to the System group of controls and change the following spinners to values provided:  Buoyancy spinner to 1.5.  Vorticity spinner to 0.1.  X Turbulence spinner to 0.03. (NOTE: that this value will affect X, Y and Z turbulence values since they are currently linked)

Once these parameters are set for our smoke, we need to tell FumeFX NOT to generate any fuel, which would create fire as well. Obviously, for a cigarette, we don't want the end burning like a match or candle. We just want the smoke to be simulated and emitted from the tip. 11. Under the Fuel group of controls, click on the Simulate Fuel checkbox to de-select it. 12. To continue this process of turning off Fuel and Fire, go to the Rendering tab next and within the Fire rollout, click on the Fire checkbox to de-select it as well. 13. Still within the Rendering tab, under the Smoke rollout change the Opacity spinner to 5. This will help give you more visible cigarette smoke. Once complete, the only thing that will generate within this scene is Smoke. Now you need to tweak the smoke parameters directly. This involves adding all of your sources and objects to the simulation engine. 14. Select the Obj/Src tab in the FumeFX UI floating dialog. 15. Click on the Pick button, and within the 3ds Max viewports, choose the FFX Object Src01 you created earlier. This will act as the smoke generation source. 16. Click the Pick button again, and this time choose both the Cylinder and butt objects from within the 3ds Max viewports. They will show up as Objects (prefaced with the letter 'O') within the simulation and will collide with the smoke as the cigarette animates.

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Okay, so you have your sources now for the simulation. Let's now look at some of the advanced controls for your sources. 17. Highlight the FFX Object Src01 within the list. 18. Next, go to the Fuel group of controls and click the button that says Set (next to the Type label). Choose Channel is Disabled from the pop-up list. Again, we want to turn off fuel calculations in this sim.

Next, you'll add a procedural Noise texture map as a mask for the smoke to help control the look. 19. Within the Smoke group of controls, click on the button labeled Disabled and choose Source from Intensity from the pop-up list. This will activate the Map slot next to it.

20. Now click on the Map slot button that says None. This will bring up the standard Material/Map browser. 21. Choose Noise in the Material/Map browser so that it shows in the map slot in the FumeFX UI floating dialog. 22. Next, open the 3ds Max Material Editor so you can edit the Noise map. 23. Simply drag and drop the Noise map from the Smoke group of controls in FumeFX to a blank material slot in the Material Editor. 24. Under the Noise Parameters rollout, make sure that Regular is the Noise Type and change the Size spinner to 6.35. 25. Close the Material Editor.

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At this point, let's go through our checklist for a smoke-only simulation:     

FumeFX UI placed where we want the simulation to occur? CHECK. FumeFX Source object helper created to reference our scene geometry to be used as a smoke source? CHECK. Other scene geometry selected to be used as a collision objects in simulation? CHECK. All Fuel and Fire creation checkboxes de-activated? CHECK. Simulation parameters adjusted for a sample run? CHECK.

Now you are ready to run a test simulation. 26. Open the Preview Window so you can monitor the output. 27. Click on the Start Simulation button within the FumeFX UI floating dialog. NOTE: This simulation may take between 20-40 minutes to simulate depending on your machine's processing power, and will take up approximately 800MB of disk space for the data storage as designed. If you would prefer, you can knock down the Quality spinner from 4 to 2, and adjust the Spacing spinner from 0.4 to 0.8 to help reduce the time and space required. 28. Once the simulation is complete, render the animation out to see your result.

Within the Preview Window, simply by scrubbing the frame slider after the simulation is complete, you should notice the smoke moving with the cigarette source and how the base of the cigarette acts as a collision object. You can see how the noise map is affecting the smoke patterns. On your own, you can play with different map types to see how they affect the smoke generation. If you want, turn off the Noise map and re-simulate to see exactly how much detail

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Tutorials the Noise map adds. Or if you prefer, try to animate the Noise map parameters over time to see how that influences the smoke generation and simulation. Okay, so now you have a sense of how to add a map to your sources. Time to move on to even more complex simulations including lighting your smoke and fire effects.


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Tutorial 04: Burning Tea

In this last tutorial you will learn how to add light sources to your simulations, animate collision objects and manipulate the collisions to meet your approval. 1. In 3ds Max, select File->Open, and from your /Scenes/FumeFX/ Tutorials folder, select the file Tut_04_start.max.

In this scene we have a teapot and an animated lid that comes down to collide with smoke and fire that will be pouring out from the source inside of the teapot. Fortunately, no one will have to call the fire department. To get started, we'll quickly go through the standard setup tasks that should now be starting to become familiar to you. 2. Create a FumeFX Grid over both the teapot and lid objects at Frame 0 so that it encomes both (shown in the image above). 3. Next, create a FumeFX Source Object helper and select the object named bottom for your Source. 4. Finally, open the FumeFX UI floating dialog and from within the General tab set your output path for the simulation. If you've followed our suggestion, simply create a new sub-folder called \Tut04 beneath the \FumeFXSimData folder. Now, you need to set up the overall simulation parameters. 5. Still within the General tab, under the General Parameters change group of controls, change the Spacing value to 1.0 to provide a nice, dense volume of voxels to simulate with. 6. Now click on the Simulation tab within the FumeFX UI floating dialog. 7. Under the Simulation group of controls, set the Quality value to 5, Maximum Iterations to 300 and Time Scale to 2.5. 158

Tutorials 8. Within the System group of controls, set Gravity to 0, Buoyancy to 0.7 and Vorticity to 1.0. 9. Now go to the Fuel rollout and set the following parameters:  Ignition Temperature spinner to 0  Burn Rate spinner to 10.0  Burn Rate Variation spinner to 1.0.  Expansion spinner to 2.0.

10. After those are set, click on the Rendering tab in the FumeFX UI floating dialog. 11. Go to the Fire rollout, and then right-click on the Fire Gradient color swatch. Choose Key Mode to turn it into a gradient. 12. Change the Fire Gradient colors to roughly match the image below. This will give the fire a nice warm color.

13. Move further down the Rendering tab to the Smoke rollout and change the Smoke Opacity spinner value to 20.0. With many of the parameters set for the fire and smoke, it's time to move onto lighting. Lights can be added directly into the FumeFX simulation in order to have them affect the coloration and illumination of the smoke within the final rendered output. This includes for multiple scattering, which gives smoke nice softness when it interacts with other scene objects. 14. Select the Illumination tab in the FumeFX UI. There is currently one Omni light in the scene with standard 3ds Max shadow maps, and we'll use this to illuminate the smoke and fire (and the teapot) in the simulation. 15. Click on the Pick button and then select the Onmi01 as your light source.

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Just as is the case with the Obj/Src list window, the Omni light will now show within the window. 16. Still within the Illumination tab, make sure that the Multiple Scattering checkbox is activated so we can manipulate how the lighting will blend into the smoke and fire. 17. Next, change the Multiple Scattering parameters as follows:  Maximum Depth spinner to 5  Fire Strength spinner to 0.7  Smoke Strength spinner to 0.01  Falloff spinner to 5.0

Finally, it's time to add our Sources and collisions to the FumeFX simulation system. 18. Select the Obj/SRC tab in the FumeFX UI floating dialog and click the Pick button. 19. In the 3ds Max viewports, select the FFX Object Src01 you created earlier as your Source. 20. Next, click the Pick button again, and select the teapot bottom (named body). Change the collision type to Shell. This will tell FumeFX that the object is hollow and it will allow internal interactions with the simulation as such as the teapot bursts into flames. 21. Finally, click the Pick button one more time and choose the teapot top (named top surprisingly enough) and change its collision type to Shell just as you did with the body. Then change the SpeedMul spinner value to 3.0. This gives the collision object a little force around it to collide with the smoke and fire. At this point, you should have all three of your objects in the scene as shown below.

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With all of the objects / sources present, we need to make some final adjustments to the Object Source by applying an animated map to the Fuel and Temperature channels. 22. Make sure the FFX Object Src01 is highlighted within the list window. 23. Next, within the Temperature group of controls, change the Amount spinner to 650.0. 24. Now, for both the Fuel and Temperature groups of controls, click on the buttons labelled Disabled in each, and choose Source From Intensity from the pop-up list. This will activate the map slots for both. 25. Click on the Map slot for the Fuel and choose Noise from the Material/Map browser. 26. Open up the Material Editor and drop the map from the FumeFX UI floating diato one of the sample slots. Choose Instance. 27. Once the map is in the Material Editor, change the Noise Type from Regular to Fractal. 28. Click on the Size spinner, and adjust it's value to 3.0, then grab the Phase spinner and change it to 4.0. Next comes the animation for this map. 29. Turn on the Auto Key button and drag the time slider from frame 0 to frame 150. 30. Back in the Material Editor, change the Phase spinner's value from 4.0 to 16.0. NOTE: Make sure the animation track is linear and not bezier. You want to make sure that the noise animates evenly over time and doesn't start and end slowly.

31. With the animation now in place, drag the map from the Material Editor back into the FumeFX UI and drop it into the Temperature Map slot. Choose Instance so that both maps work identically. 161


Fuel and Temperature with the same map At this point, let's go through our checklist for your last tutorial simulation:      

FumeFX UI placed where we want the simulation to occur? CHECK. FumeFX Source object helper created to reference our scene geometry to be used as a source? CHECK. Other scene geometry selected to be used as a collision objects in simulation? CHECK. Additional channel maps inserted into Source components (Fuel, Temperature) to refine simulation? CHECK. Lights added to the Illumination tab to light the smoke and fire? CHECK. Simulation parameters adjusted for a sample run? CHECK.

Now you are ready to run a test simulation. 32. Open the Preview Window so you can monitor the output. 33. Click on the Start Simulation button within the FumeFX UI floating dialog. NOTE: This simulation may take between 30-60 minutes to simulate depending on your machine's processing power and memory, and will take up approximately 2.5GB of disk space for the data storage as designed. The increase in size here from the last tutorial is that you added two additional channels to this simulation from the smoke-only one (Fuel and Velocity). If you would prefer, you can knock down the Quality spinner from 3 to 1, and adjust the Spacing spinner from 1.0 to 3.0 to help reduce the time and space required. What you'll see during the simulation in the Preview Window is some of the smoke being deflected by the teapot top, while some is trapped beneath the curved surface of the top travels downwards. 34. Once the simulation is complete, render the animation out to see your result.

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As you can see in this image, as the teapot lid gets close to the fire and smoke, it will wrap itself around the object and not penetrate it. Now that's cool! This concludes the written tutorials on FumeFX. They should give you a solid foundation upon which you can now proceed and watch the included training videos to help further learn and understand FumeFX techniques and best practices to get the most out of your new software.

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Index 3 3ds Max Script 34 6 64-bit 8 A Ability to Stop/Continue 98 About FumeFX 19, 25 Absolute Age 89 Active 56, 66, 72, 76, 80 Adaptive 19, 25, 34 Adaptive Grid Practices 114 Add 66, 80 Add Values to the Voxel 56, 66, 72, 76, 80 Advection Stride 38 AFC 44, 116 AFC Controller 66, 80 Affect Orientation checkbox 89 Affect Position 89 Alpha Multiplier 42, 44 Ambient Color 44, 48 Amount 56, 66, 72, 76, 80 Animation Flow Curves 116 Authorization 16 Automatic 19, 25 B Bezier 116 Birth Operator 95 Blocking Sides 38 Buoyancy 38 Burn Rate 38 Burn Rate Variation 38 By Volume 89 C Cache Map To Disk 50 Calculate Interval 31 Cast Shadows 44, 48 Channel 19, 25, 48 Channel Data 48 Channel Data Shader 48 Channel is Disabled 56, 66, 72, 76, 80 Channel values 95 Channel/Threshold 19, 25 Channels 89 Clear Cache 50 Clear RAM After Simulation 98 Color 44 Color – Spinner 42 Color – Swatch/Gradient 42 Color Gradient 44, 48 Container Edges 42 Continue 31 Copy 116

Corner 116 Cubic interpolation 38 Cycle 34 D Default Output Path 98 Delete 116 Delete Particles 89 Delete Snapshots on Scene Exit 98 Detail 38 Diffusion 38 Dimension Parameters 56, 72 Directional 56, 72 Disabled 76 Display Optimize 19, 25 Dissipation Min. Dens 38 Dissipation Strength 38 Dynamics Status 86 E Effects Channel 42 Emit Start 89 Emit Stop 89 Enable Display 19, 25 End Frame 34 Event Age 89 Every Nth frame 98 Expansion 38 Export Channels 34 Exporting Channels 34 Expression 84 Extra 76 F Falloff 50 Falloff Type 42 Fire 19, 25, 44, 89 Fire multiplier 50 Fire Strength 50 Flags 89 Follow Operator 95 Force 19, 25, 53 Forces 19, 25 fR GI multiplier 42, 44, 48 Frames 38, 56, 72, 76, 98 Free Flow 72, 76 Free Flow checkbox 56 Fuel 19, 25, 38, 44, 56, 66, 72, 76, 80, 89 Fuel Creates Smoke 38 FumeFX Fire 103 FumeFX Birth Operator 89 FumeFX Dynamics Status Window 86 FumeFX Floater 31 FumeFX Follow Operator 89 165

Printed Documentation FumeFX Gravity Vector 53 FumeFX Grid 19, 25 FumeFX Object Source 53, 76 FumeFX Particle Source 53, 80 FumeFX Simple Source 53 FumeFX Smoke 103 FumeFX Source Controllers 84 FumeFX Test 89 FumeFX UI 19, 25 Functions Exposed by FumeFX 104 FusionWorks Z Depth 103 G General 98 General Parameters 19, 25, 34 Global Parameters 98 Gradient Controls 116 Gradient Usage 116 Gravity 38 Grid 19, 25 H Heat production 38 Height 19, 25, 34 I Icon Size 66, 76, 80 If Out Of Grid 89 Ignition Temperature 38 Illumination 50 Illumination Map 50 Illumination Parameters 50 In With Object 89 Influence % 95 Inherit From FumeFX 89, 95 Installation 16 Invert 89 J Jitter % 89 Jittering 50 Jittering % 42 K Keyless mode 116 L Length 19, 25, 34 Light Tracer 114 Lights 50 Linear 116 Load 116 Load settings 31 M Map 42, 44, 48, 56, 72, 76 Map Channel 76 Map Source 42, 44, 48 Max Ang. Vel 89 Max. 19, 25, 103 Max. Density 44 166

Max. Value 48 Maximum 89 Maximum Depth 50 Maximum Influence 84 Maximum Stride 38 MAXScript 104 Min. 19, 25, 103 Min. Density 44 Min. Value 48 Minimum 89 Minimum Influence 84 Multiple Scattering 50 Multiplier 50 Multithreading 98 N New 89 Next to Object 89 None 19, 25, 34, 98 Numerical Values 19, 25 O Object 89 Object Distance 84 Object Source 76 Object Source Parameters 61 Object’s 56, 72, 76 Objects / Sources 114 Objects / Sources Workflows 114 Opacity 44 Opacity – Spinner 42 Opacity AFC 48 Operators 89 Out Of Grid 95 Out-of-Range Types 34 Output Path 34, 98 Output Rollout 34 P Parameters 80 Particle 80 Particle Age 89 Particle Flow 89 Particle Flow Operators 89 Particle Source 80 Particle Source Parameters 66 Paste 116 Path 98 Path Options 98 Pick / Remove 66, 76, 80, 89 PingPong 34 Play From 34 Play To 34 Playback 34 Point in Grid (bool) 95 Position 19, 25

Index Post Load 42 Preferences 19, 25, 98 Preview 19, 25, 31 Preview Window 86 Probe Operator 95 Q Quality 38 R Radial 56, 72 Radio Button 95 Radius 66, 80 Rate 89 Receive Shadows 44, 48 Reduce 19, 25 Render Elements 103 Rendering Parameters 42 Reset 116 S Save 116 Save settings 31 Scale 38, 56, 72, 76 Scale Multiplier 19, 25 Scratch Disk 98 Seed 66, 80, 89 Sensitivity 19, 25, 34 Set 56, 72 Set Values in the Voxel 56, 66, 72, 76, 80 Shader 42 Shadow Falloff 44, 48 Shadows 50 Shape 56, 72 Shell 56, 72 Show Slice 19, 25 Simple Source 72 Simulation 31, 38 Simulation Area 19, 25 Simulation Steps 38 Smoke 19, 25, 38, 44, 56, 66, 72, 76, 80, 89 Smoke Density 38 Smoke Strength 50 Smooth 116 Snapshot 98 Snapshot Options 98 Soften Edges Near Objects 42 Solid 56, 72 Solver 38 Solver Maximum Iterations 38 Source 56, 72, 84, 89 Source controller 56, 66, 72, 76, 80 Source Controllers 84 Spacing 19, 25, 34 Speed Multiplier 89 Speed Variation 89

Standard Shader 44 Start 31 Start Frame 34 Start Simulation 31 Start Simulation with Loaded Initial State 31 Step Size 50 Step Size % 42 Step Size In Fire % 42 Strength 42 Subframe Sampling 89 Swap to Disk if Out of RAM 98 Sync By T TCB 116 Technical 16 Temperature 19, 25, 38, 56, 66, 72, 76, 80, 89 Test Operator 95 Thickness 19, 25 Thinking Particles 95 Thinking Particles Operators 95 Threads 98 Threshold 19, 25 Threshold Scale 19, 25 Time Scale 38 Tips and Tricks 114 Turbulence 19, 25, 56, 72, 76 Turbulence amounts 38 Turbulence Noise 38 Type 56, 66, 72, 76, 80 U Undersample/Threshold 50 Uniqueness 89 Use 34 Use all available U's 98 V Var. % 66, 80 Variation 89 Velocities 19, 25 Velocity 19, 25, 56, 72, 76, 89 Velocity Damping 38 Velocity Magnitude 89 Velocity Multipier 89 Velocity Multiplier 66, 80, 89 Viewport 19, 25 Viewport Update 34 Visual Falloff 44, 48 Volume 56, 72 Volume Shading 42 Vorticity 38, 89 Voxel Fuel 84 Voxel Grid 19, 25 Voxel Smoke 84

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Printed Documentation Voxel Temperature 84 W Width 19, 25, 34

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X X/Y/Z Turbulence 38 XY plane 19, 25

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